


I Came to Break the Wall

by KaelsMiscellany



Series: Moths [1]
Category: Changeling (Visual Novel)
Genre: Body Horror, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Ghosts, M/M, Pining, Post Ewan's route, Sorry Not Sorry, and some, basically a rewrite of William's route, with bonus polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:13:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26130946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaelsMiscellany/pseuds/KaelsMiscellany
Summary: After six months Nora feels like she’s got a handle on the Cryptic stuff. Until ghosts start to disappear, and maybe she’s got a crush on William, except she’s also very much still in love with Ewan. Also Nora just wishes she knew why Marc was suddenly being more of an asshole than usual.
Relationships: Ewan Croft/Nora Lewis | Main Character, William Lee/Marc Lowe, William Lee/Nora Lewis
Series: Moths [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897474
Comments: 11
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the first in a much longer than I originally planned series! _laughs_
> 
> But look, Nora should be allowed to date _all_ the boys, and I'm here to fix that.
> 
> Title comes from "Land of All" by Woodkid.

FRIDAY April 5

“Shit.” Ewan and I raced down the hallway, in my head I counted down the seconds until the bell rang, _45 seconds, 44_... 

Ewan easily began to outpace me. “No fair,” I panted, annoyance giving me a little extra speed. _35_ …

“Get longer legs,” he called back easily.

“I’ll steal your legs if you’re not careful,” I snapped. Mrs. Roberts’ door was right around the corner. _30…_

Ewan got there before me, but at least he left the door open. “And Nora too,” Mrs. Roberts gave a nod. “Glad you both could make it. I’ve rearranged the seating chart again.” The bell rang, not that I really noticed. I’d enjoyed sitting next to Ewan—granted as his girlfriend I’m sure I was mildly obligated to like sitting with him. “Ewan you’re with Elliot, Nora with William.”

Ewan didn’t look terrified more than resigned as he took his seat next to Elliot—already half asleep, the poor guy—sending me a pouting look. As if that might change our circumstances.

I mimed a tear falling down my cheek and rolled my eyes.

“While this little pantomime is entertaining to some,” Mrs. Roberts said. Giggles sounded around the room. “We’re here to start our unit on short stories and poetry, not your relationship, Nora, Ewan.” I blushed fiercely and threw myself into the seat next to William, desperately trying to hide my face. “Now, class, we’re going to start today with _The Yellow Wallpaper_ …”

“Are you alright?” William’s question surprised me. He rarely spoke to anyone from what I could tell.

“Nothing a few years of being a hermit in the wilderness won’t solve,” I answered. With no one paying attention to me anymore I dropped my jacket from my face, surprisingly grateful I hadn’t had the time to drop it off in my locker. I’d forgotten how cold it got around William.

He made a quiet raspy sound that might’ve been a chuckle in another life. It soon died away however, and when I glanced over at him, I saw he had the same forlorn expression I vaguely recalled from the beginning of the year. “If you want to change seats…”

“Mrs. Roberts put me here, so here I’m staying,” I told him firmly. “You’re a good lit partner anyways,” I clearly recalled _that_ from the three days we’d been together when I’d first started. “So you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” I opened my book to the right page, and began reading. Giving William a nudge when I got to the next page.

He gave a little start at the touch, almost jerking his hand away from mine. The air got a little colder. “Sorry,” I whispered. “Your turn to read.”

He looked firmly down at the page, his voice haltingly beginning to read. Smoothing out some the more he read, or at least as smooth as William’s voice got. He spoke so little I had almost forgotten that, that his voice was a bit hoarse and raspy. Curiosity begged me to ask him why, but the rest of me was certain he wouldn’t appreciate the question. 

We only got about halfway through the story before the bell rang, William leaping out of his chair like he’d been electrocuted and rushing out of the class. Weirdly Marc gave me a look like _I_ was the reason that’d happened, I just gave him a look right back, at least until Ewan swept me into a brief hug. “See you at lunch?” He kissed the top of my head.

“See you at lunch,” I agreed brightly.

-

The rest of the day passed by in a haze of familiarity, everyone all too eager for it to be the weekend.

I was eager too, because the weekend meant magic lessons, though with Walpurgisnatch and Beltane coming up, I’m sure those would soon fall to the wayside as Spencer was pulled back into interning with the Agency. I was fairly certain he mostly did it to spend time with Ally, but considering how often I kitchen crashed Faerie Forest, I couldn’t throw stones.

Even lessons seemed to pass by quickly, the whole weekend in a nutshell: too many things to do, and not enough time to do them.

On Monday though, I was surprised to see William wasn’t in Lit, Mrs. Roberts pairing me with Grace. He wasn’t in Art either, I frowned as I tried to do my warm up sketches. William wasn’t exactly one to skip school.

Not that I found myself with the chance to ask anyone about it, not until Tuesday, which William also missed, afternoon.

Leaning across Ewan’s bike I kissed his cheek. “Have fun at work.” I grinned.

He rolled his eyes as he put on his helmet. “Sweeping and baking, so much fun.”

“Hey now, baking _is_ fun. Bring me something sweet when you get off?” I fluttered my eyelashes.

“Shameless.” I could tell he was smiling though. “If I just bring myself, does that count?”

I laughed. “Now who’s being shameless? I’ll allow it though.” I stepped away as he started up the bike, waving as he pulled away. Turning I headed towards Ally, waiting a few feet away.

“Ewan’s sweet, huh?” Her eyes glittered.

I could feel my cheeks heating. “Please, shut up. Like you and Spencer are any better.” I gave her a friendly shove.

“Alright,” she laughed. “We’re both ridiculously in love, I get it. I mean it’s been months now, but it’s still a little weird to see Ewan being jokey and friendly with everyone.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, well, it’s amazing what people are like when they have to not worry about losing their head.” I shrugged. We fell silent for the next few minutes, as I did my best to work up my courage to ask. We were almost at my house when I finally did. “Hey, Ally? Do you know what’s up with William these past few days?”

“No,” she answered. “Anyways, even if I did, you know the office would kill me for spilling secrets like that.” She shot me a grin. “I’m surprised you asked though.” She gave a little frown. “I have Chem with him, and _I_ didn’t notice he was gone.”

“I mean he doesn’t seem the sort of person to start skipping school.” I shrugged. “Although I guess I don’t know him that well, I know more about _Brenna_ than I do him.” He didn’t seem to do interning like the rest of us, and he seemed all too intent on keeping to himself.

“That’s William,” Ally agreed. “If he’s gone again tomorrow, it wouldn’t hurt to ask Vilos, he might know something. Or he could get in touch with Guess, who would definitely know.”

“Guess?” I was certain I’d heard the name in passing at the club, but realized I didn’t know who exactly that was.

“William’s teacher. She’s super cool. She once took out a ghost with a monkey wrench!”

I blinked. “How?”

“How should I know, I’m a Witch, not an Esper. Supposedly she had it blessed…”

-

Wednesday morning came around, and I was all too ready to head up to the club room during my study period if I didn’t see William.

Which I apparently was moot, because there he was, in his usual seat. “Hey,” I smiled at him as I took mine, barely even noticing the cold. 

“Hi.” He didn’t smile back, in fact he looked more miserable than usual. His eyes red like he’d been crying.

“You alright?”

He looked surprised I even asked. Which I found I didn’t like one bit. “I’m fine.”

I didn’t believe it for a second, but for now I’d let him have it. “We finished _The Yellow Wallpaper_ while you were gone.” Which might be a good thing considering how miserable he looked, _Wallpaper_ wasn’t the happiest of stories. “And we started _Rape of the Lock_ yesterday.”

William gave a little nod, but even though he reached for his book I wondered if he’d really heard me. “I can read for all of today if you’re not up for it,” I found myself offering. I didn’t know if it would actually make him feel _better_ , but having to not worry about reading aloud wouldn’t make things worse.

Again, surprise, and I found myself hating it a little. He sunk a little further into his seat, but nodded. “O..okay.”

Smiling, I opened my own book and began reading from the beginning. “What dire offense from am’rous causes springs,/ What mighty contests rise from trivial things…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapters'll be posted every Saturday.


	2. Chapter 2

FRIDAY April 12

“...This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to fame,/ And ‘midst the stars inscribe Belinda’s name.” William finished. It had been surprisingly soothing to listen to his rasping voice recite. 

“I guess I’ll have to look for that the next time I decide to go stargazing, Belinda’s Lock,” I joked.

William’s smile was small, but definitely there. “Good luck,” he replied. “I’m glad we got something light-hearted though, I’m not a big fan of depressing stories.”

“Neither am I,” I agreed. “Although I still enjoy them from time to time, they help remind you what’s really important in life. Also that there are worse things that could happen to someone besides a guy stealing some hair. Although…” I turned my gaze to Ewan. “Ewan _really_ likes my hair,” I said _sotto voce_. Not that he’d go so far as to cut it, but I could still joke about it.

As I turned my gaze back to William, I stuck on Marc for a second, who’d turned around slightly, and was most definitely glaring at me. Whatever, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what his problem now might be. I pulled my gaze away from him back to William.

Who looked so surprised by the joke that I don’t think he could’ve laughed if he wanted to. He opened his mouth to say something, but the bell rang. I almost wished he’d say it anyways, but he turned his attention to his bag.

I did the same, shoving everything in before slinging it over my shoulder and joining the tide of students leaving.

“See you in art?” I asked William as we reached the door.

“Yeah,” he turned a little pink as he said it.

I opened my mouth to tease him, but I felt my backpack move, followed all too soon by the sounds of all it’s contents hitting the floor. So instead of teasing, I groaned. Crouching quickly to start collecting everything.

“Here,” Ewan somehow managed to get right next to me, crouching as well, and holding a textbook.

I took it from him, but arched an eyebrow. “I know your dastardly plan, knave. Being all nice and helping me just so you can steal some hair.” I snagged a notebook before it could get trampled on and shoved it in my bag, which I could have sworn I’d closed.

Ewan snapped his fingers as he collected my pencils. “Damn, and here I had the scissors ready and everything.” He gave a put upon sigh. “I’ll just have to wait until later.”

“Uh huh,” I zipped my backpack firmly closed and stood. “I’ll be on to you then, too.” To my surprise William was still standing nearby, looking embarrassed. “All my hair’s definitely staying on my head.”

William stepped closer. “Sorry, I…” He grunted as someone shoved him out of the way. Ewan managed to catch him before he could fall, thankfully.

“Hey!” I shouted at the guy in question. “You could at least watch where you’re going! Didn’t you ever learn it’s rude to shove people?”

The guy stopped, and turned. I was riding too high to actually be afraid however. “What was that?” He started making his way back to us.

I wasn’t afraid, but I still found myself grabbing William’s hand without thinking. “You heard me!” I tugged William down the hall with me. “Ewan, protect us!”

Ewan just started laughing, and I turned my head to glare at him. Just in time to see the rudest guy in the world trip and fall face first into the floor. “Ha! That’s what you get,” I perhaps sounded a little _too_ gleeful.

William yanked his hand out of mine. “I..I have to go.” He ducked his head into his shoulders and ran off.

Sighing I started to head to my own class.

-

Today was an eating in the cafeteria day for me, although part of me did want to head upstairs to Solis Court and lunch with Ewan and the others. But Elliot and Danny were also my friends, so it was worth it to carve out a few lunches for them a week.

As I headed to their table, I looked for Will, wanting to apologize for this morning. Except he wasn’t at his usual seat; well he couldn’t skip Art at least. Wondering where he’d gone I took the spot next to Elliot. “Where’s Danny?” Usually I was the last to arrive, but he wasn’t here at all either.

“Two guys, students, came and snagged him,” James answered. “Don’t know why he keeps going with them, they’re pretty much troublemakers.”

I glanced at Elliot, arching an eyebrow in question, he gave a little nod. So something Club related. Disappointing, but probably not all that surprising considering how responsible Danny was.

“So, Nora,” Rayna voice pulled me back to the group. “I heard you got into a fight this morning?” The expression on her face made me sigh, clearly I wasn’t getting away without giving _some_ sort of answer.

“It wasn’t a fight,” I said. I perhaps dunked my tater tot with a bit too much enthusiasm into the mustard before popping it into my mouth. “I yelled at a guy who was being rude and ran into William, he started coming back and somehow tripped over his own two feet, instant karma style.” I shrugged. “I know you want it to be more exciting, Rayna, but that’s all there is to it.”

“William...Lee?” James asked almost hesitantly.

I blinked. “Am I friends with any other Williams and don’t know about it?” I looked at Elliot again, but this time he just stuck his tongue out at me. I stole a french fry in retaliation. He pouted, I stuck my own tongue out at him.

Rayna deflated a little. “Oh, that explains it then. And not to freak you out of anything, Nora, but you might want to hold off on calling him a friend.”

“Excuse me?” My tone was definitely defensive, and not angry, at her words.

“Well,” James rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s just...ever since middle school, anyone who tries to get close to William, kinda...gets hurt? Apparently everyone dreaded being his lab partner in science, and eventually the teachers gave up on pairing him off, especially after one of them ended up in the hospital.”

This time Elliot met my glance with a shrug. “Before I moved here,” he said. “But I haven’t seen anything like that in the time since I came.”

“So it’s all just rumors and hearsay, then?” I asked a little too sharply.

Rayna looked uncomfortable. “I guess, I mean one of his lab partners really did get sent to the hospital.”

How? His powers getting out of control? The ghosts that hung around him? Was it them who’d unzipped my bag after Lit class? If so, they were clearly petty and jealous, if a conversation could get them to act like that. Could ghosts be high maintenance?

I shook my head, something to think about later. “Well, I’m calling bullshit. Considering how many rumors _I’ve_ been subject to, I know how much they can fuck you over, even when you try to ignore them, or when you keep having to tell people they’re wrong. Especially when they get wildly out of control.” I’d been almost lucky that the ones Kaya tried to start when I’d come back were really only rehashing the old ones. And that, outside her little group, people’d been disinclined to listen to her. “So, maybe, Will’s actually a decent person who doesn’t actually hurt people who get close to him.”

Under the table I kicked Elliot in the shin, gently, because I wouldn’t mind some backup. “Ye-yeah.” He gave a little jump, and his cheeks turned pink. “I mean William’s quiet, but he’s a pretty good guy when you get to know him.”

“Who’s a good guy?” Danny fell into the seat on my other side, looking a little exhausted.

“William,” I answered. Although he had to have heard us, even before he’d entered the cafeteria.

“Definitely,” Danny agreed. “A little weird, but honestly who isn’t?”

Rayna and James shared a look. “Maybe you’re right,” Rayna admitted. She flashed me a little smile. “Sorry.”

I shrugged. “I mean I get it, gossip can sound fun and exciting. But there’s a difference between the stuff that might be true, and the stuff that absolutely _isn’t_ true.” Not that either was actually _good_ , but still. I knew Rayna and James hadn’t meant to be _mean_.

The bell rang and I felt a little relieved. And nervous, because I was one period closer to Art, and William.

-

As I’d hoped, William was already at his seat when I got into the Art room. Taking a deep breath I headed over, mentally preparing what I was going to say. He blinked up at me, a novel experience, as I came to a stop next to him. “Nora?”

For a moment I found myself losing my train of thought, I couldn’t recall him ever saying my name before. Or how it apparently sounded with that raspy voice of his. Focus, apology first, freaking out and feeling a little guilty, later.

I gave him my brightest smile. “Look, I just wanted to see that you were okay, you left in a hurry after Lit. And...I wanted to apologize for grabbing you. I know you’re touch-adverse…”

“I’m not,” William _interrupted_. I was so surprised I gaped at him. He _blushed_ and looked away. “I’m...not touch-adverse, I just…” He shook his head. “I’m fine though, you don’t need to worry about me.”

“We’re friends,” I told him firmly. “I’m allowed to worry about friends.”

He still wouldn’t look at me, but I found myself oddly more pleased than annoyed by it. “You’re...really kind, Nora,” he muttered. Almost like he didn’t want to admit it.

I...I didn’t quite frown at that. I certainly didn’t _feel_ like I was being kind, I was only trying to be a _friend_. Except...well, yes, I wanted to be friends with him, but I found myself wondering what he’d look like if he _really_ smiled, what his actual laugh was like…

Ah, fuck.

I could deal with this like an...well, mostly adult. Having a crush on him didn’t mean we couldn’t be just friends, or that I was going to throw Ewan aside—definitely not. I’d just, have to keep myself in check, which some would argue was easier said than done. But I’d do it, because I already had Ewan, and I _did_ want to be friends with William. “Thank you,” I finally said, feeling a blush of my own stealing across my cheeks. I cursed my body for betraying me.

A little smile crossed his mouth. Thankfully, before I could get _too_ fixated on that, a paint can full of brushes suspiciously fell over. Which startled the both of us. William stood. “I’ll get it.”

Feeling a little reckless I grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back down into his head. “It’s fine, I’ve got it.” I almost wished I could see and interact with his ghosts, because they clearly needed a few good shakes if this is how they behaved over a _conversation_.

Despite my words I heard William get up again as I headed over to the brushes. “The bell’s about to ring, I can clean this up,” William protested.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve got it,” I repeated. “It’s just a few brushes, no big deal.”

Which, of course, is when it became a big deal.

It really did seem to almost happen in slow motion, at least once I realized that the bottle of solvent wasn’t just randomly tipping over, but heading _for_ me. Without thought I started to raise up my magic, to nudge it aside, a little.

Yet before I could even act, it changed direction in a blink. Hitting a pile of blank, thankfully, canvases and knocking them over, the bottle hitting the ground and spilling solvent everywhere.

Just to somehow make it worse, the bell rang. Behind us Ms. Tarrell cleared her throat.

William nearly whipped around. “It’s my fault,” he said quickly. “I’ll clean it up.”

“You know where the supplies are, William,” Ms. Tarrell agreed.

Oh, no, I was _not_ going to let that happen. “You don’t need to cover for me, William,” false cheer filled my voice as I turned, meeting Ms. Tarrell’s eyes. “It was my mistake, I’ll clean up the artvalanche.”

Ms. Tarrell’s eyes glazed over, and she gave a slow nod. “All right, Nora, William can show you where the supplies are. Next time just remember that while this is a visual art class, that does not include performance art.” Oops.

Accidently glamouring a teacher probably wasn’t going to get me on Vilos’ good side. Perhaps a little desperately I tried to yank my magic back while I followed William to the cleaning supplies. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to,” I said absently, although perhaps not exactly _how_ I’d done it. Double checking I’d gotten all my loose magic under control. “Now shoo, I’ve got cleaning to do.” Could I glamour William too? Not that I wanted to, but...I locked myself down double tight, just in case.

Thankfully he left, unglamoured—if still looking a little dazed—letting me focus on cleaning.

-

I was starting to get a headache from the scent of oranges.

Cleaning up during Art hadn’t been all that hard, or taken that long, but the orange oil in the solvent clung to my hands like a stubborn dog with a bone. No amount of handwashing, or magic that I could think of, had gotten it off. With it being my free period I headed to the Club room, half-hoping Vilos might have a solution to my orangy problem.

Entering I blinked a little to see Will curled up in a chair, and Dracen sprawled out on the couch. “Nora!” Dracen all but leaped off the couch, pulling me into a hug. “You smell different.”

“Hi to you too, Dracen,” I smiled. “And I got solvent on my hands.” Maybe if someone else had said the same thing, I would’ve been annoyed, but it was Dracen, who was pretty much impossible to be annoyed with.

I let him pull me onto the couch, and after I sat he threw himself back onto it, his head in my lap. “Did you and Brenna switch places again?” I asked, bemusedly, as I began to undo his braid. “Your hair’s gonna smell all orangy.”

“Don’t care,” he beamed up at me. Making the most ridiculous sounds as I finished unbraiding his hair and began running my fingers through it.

As casually as I could, I glanced over at William. Who was watching us, a curious expression on his face. Then, not casually at all, I blurted out. “I thought you had class?” I didn’t have everyone's schedules memorized, but I was pretty sure about that.

He ducked his head into his shoulders. “Yeah, but it was a test in Trig, since I got done early Mr. Nejem let me leave. Came up here for my lessons with Guess, but she’s talking with Vilos about something in the library.”

Well then it was a good thing Dracen’d gotten cuddly, I’d just have to suffer orange hands for a little while longer. “What sort of lessons, if you don’t mind me asking? Also, you’re more than welcome to tell me to shut up.”

“I don’t mind, they’re not that exciting. Just learning how to control my powers, and using them correctly.” He shrugged. “And I wouldn’t tell you to shut up, it’s not a bother at all, talking to you.” He was definitely blushing, and now refused to look at me.

There might’ve been a sliver of guilt, but the rest of me still felt pretty pleased by the admission. “I’m pretty sure you’re just being nice.” I playfully narrowed my eyes. “Almost _too_ nice, keep this up and I’ll start thinking this is some weird body swapping accident, Dracen getting Brenna, you getting Dracen…”

“I don’t tell you to shut up because Ewan always does it,” Dracen supplied helpfully. “Usually by kissing.”

I yanked on his hair. “Definitely Brenna, you are not normally this cheeky.” Except he could be when he wanted to. Just usually not in front of _others_.

William now looked like he matched my hair, yet despite his blush he started _laughing_.

It was husky and a little deeper than I expected. I took a few deep breaths, trying to keep myself from blushing, all the while my brain decided to run around in circles, all too excited. I looked down at Dracen, who grinned up at me, seemingly pleased by all this. I tugged his hair again, fairly certain no one should be _encouraging_ me. Not that I wasn’t already in weird relationship status, considering Dracen was my...cuddle-buddy, but we weren’t actually _dating_.

There definitely needed to be a change of subject. “Thank you,” I blurted out. “For the solvent bottle, orangy hands isn’t good, but it’s better than orangy hair and jacket.” Especially since I liked this jacket.

“I’m sorry,” he replied. “It shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

“Yeah, well it wasn’t your fault,” I said firmly. “So don’t apologize for it. You keep saying sorry too much, and it basically starts to mean nothing.”

William ducked his head again. “This is why I don’t mind you talking, you always say what you want to. Being honest like that…” He glanced away, definitely trying to bury his head in his jacket. “A lot of people hide what they mean, so it feels like I’m only seeing their reflections, but you...I definitely feel like I see _you_ , not the reflection.”

Now I was the one trying to match my hair. I bit my lip to keep from saying anything that’d make this worse. All the while I couldn’t help but feel happy, because that had to be one of the sweetest things someone other than Ewan had ever said to me. Ewan… Maybe I should start journaling again, if only to get all my fucking thoughts straight on _this_.

Finally I felt like I could speak like a person again. “Good. So no more apologizing to me. Also, stop telling me to worry about you. Like I said, I worry about all my friends.” I wished I could reach out and touch him again, but Dracen kept me pinned to the couch, which was probably for the best. “And I am worried about you. I didn’t see you at lunch today, and you missed school a few days ago. Normal people worry about that sort of thing.”

“I had to study for Trig, easier in the library than in the cafeteria.” He sank into his chair. “My mom died last week, we had the memorial on Monday. I didn’t know her very well anymore, but…”

Well now I felt like a complete ass.

Before I could properly apologize, however, William leapt out of his chair. “I’m going to go see if Guess is done talking with Vilos.” He rushed to the door, and after giving the right knock went into the library.

I blew my hair out of my face. Wondering if I’d blown, well, everything.

“If the orange is really bothering you, you can go to the visual arts room and use the goop, it’ll get the oil off easily. You’ll smell like soybeans for a while, but not too long,” Dracen said. “Just tell Mx. Donahue I sent you and they’ll let you use it.”

“Thanks,” it was absent at best. Getting up I headed out and down the stairs.

I honestly didn’t know what to think, but nevertheless felt a little grateful I was alone enough that I could just let my brain just...exist. It existed all the way to the visual arts room, Dracen hadn’t been lying about the soybean smell, but after oranges it was a godsend, and back to the Club room.

Where I found Ewan had managed to cram himself into the too small couch so Dracen could drape himself atop Ewan. Despite everything, a smile tugged at my mouth. “I see how it is,” I griped as I walked toward them. “You just wanted to replace me with Ewan.” It was easy to climb on top of them, settling myself cross legged atop Dracen.

“You caught me,” Dracen said cheerily.

“It’s not like either of you are _heavy_ ,” Ewan chimed in from the bottom of the pile.

I rolled my eyes.

I didn’t have long to enjoy my ‘queen of the mountain’ status however, Ally coming in a few minutes later. She didn’t even comment on us, after all this wasn’t the weirdest conglomeration she’d found us in. “Ready to go home?”

“Yeah,” I answered. Grateful I’d asked her and not Spencer for the ride home today. If I’d gone with Spencer I’d still smell like oranges, and I wouldn’t have had that complicating conversation with William.

I patted Dracen on the head, before moving it so I could kiss Ewan. “See you tonight?”

He smiled back at me. “It’s a date,” he agreed.

-

I stood, waiting on the landing of the stairs, all of me poised and ready.

The doorbell rang at seven thirty, almost to the second.

I leapt into action, taking the last few steps in a rush and nearly jerking the door open. “Bye mom, dad!” I shouted as I stepped outside. Cutting off my mom’s reminder to be back by midnight as I closed the door.

Ewan’d been through this enough that he wasn’t even bemused anymore. He offered me my helmet. “Ready to go?”

I put it on as I followed him. “Yep, where are we going again?”

My question got a snort. “It’s called a surprise, Nora,” he teased.

I stuck my tongue out at his back. Which didn’t stop me from cuddling up against said back after I climbed on. “Will it take us long to get there?”

“Little bit,” Ewan answered. His motorcycle roared into life, cutting off the rest of the conversation.

To my surprise we drove out of town, taking 260 for a while as it snaked along the Rogue River, which was a wonderful drive all it’s own, with the sunset and the waxing moon rising on either side. We turned off onto a gravel road, which Ewan took slowly, thankfully. Though even that was a bit tooth chattery after a while.

Eventually we came to a small plateau, and Ewan shut off the bike, holding it steady while I climbed off. Taking off my helmet I shook out my hair a little before looking around. “Wow, this is a view. How’d you find it?” Not that it was out of the way, but from the looks of it not many people came up here often.

“Danny told me,” he answered with a shrug. He grabbed my elbow, gently pulling me back. “Careful.” He reached out with his other hand and gave a brief slash, a flash of golden light followed, the glamour he’d clearly put up earlier fading away to reveal a picnic spread, surrounded by little glittering magic lights.

“Oh.” I let him tug me along, sitting down when we reached the blanket. “Ewan, it’s wonderful.”

He blushed, a smile dancing across his mouth. “Good. I packed desserts, don’t worry my mom made them, but we can eat them whenever.” He pulled me closer, his body nice and warm against the cool April night.

Which I was grateful for, but I still couldn’t help myself. “I see you have something more nefarious in mind first. Is this the part where we struggle over my hair?” I grinned up at him.

“No, but if you’re good maybe I’ll braid it for you,” he shot back. Unrepentant. God, I loved him.

I was glad I’d worn a loose dress as I moved to straddle him, his warm hands settling on my waist. “I do like it when you play with my hair,” I agreed. He certainly knew how to braid it more ways than I did. Which made sense, considering how often I saw his mom’s hair done up in some elaborate braid or another.

He tilted his head down, kissing the corner of my mouth before tracing a path to my ear. “I have it on good authority that you like it when I play with other parts of you, too.”

I hummed in agreement, pushing myself closer. “Well then,” I grinned. “Shall we lay on, MacDuff?”

There was a moment’s silence, then Ewan let out a pained groan and buried his face in my neck.

I just threw my head back and laughed. Laughed until he moved to kiss me, swallowing up the sound of my joy greedily. He kissed me until my laughter turned to other joyful sounds, until we made no sounds at all, except for our shared breathing. 


	3. Chapter 3

MONDAY April 15

I climbed off the bike and tucked my helmet away. Waiting for Ewan I turned my head up slightly, catching the warm spring sunshine on my face. Spring was out in full force and I couldn’t help but revel in it a little.

“Are you done sun worshipping?” Ewan blocked out the sun easily.

I opened my eyes to see something even better than spring: Ewan limned in sunlight, smiling down at me. Reaching out I swatted his side. “Like I haven’t seen you do the same some days.” There’d been more than a few lunches at Solis where Ewan would just sprawl out on the grass—which pretty much proved he and Brenna were related in my mind.

His smile turned into a grin, but he didn’t argue; instead taking my hand and leading us inside.

We were halfway to Lit when someone caught my eye. I turned my head, frowning softly when I saw William, his eyes unfocused, and his walk erratic. “I’ll catch up in a bit, okay, Ewan?” If nothing else I needed to make sure William was alright.

Ewan’s gaze followed mine. “Alright,” Ewan agreed. Bending down to kiss the top of my head. “See you at lunch?”

I gave a nod as I left him, my attention on William. The students filling up the hallway avoided him like the plague, but I knew that didn’t mean he couldn’t hurt himself.

Soon though, the crush grew too much. “William,” I didn’t know if he could _hear_ me, but it was worth a try. “I’m going to touch you.” He might’ve said he wasn’t touch-adverse, but that didn’t mean I felt right just grabbing him. Warning given, and seemingly no response from William, I reached out and grabbed his arm, tugging him back as firmly as I could.

Which seemed to shock him out of his trance, or whatever it might’ve been. “Nora?” He sounded...shaken.

“Yeah,” I gave the best comforting smile I could. “You alright?”

His nod was slow. “Yes. But I need to...need to go upstairs.”

Despite knowing I should probably head to class now that he was fine, I followed after instead. Curiosity drawing me on. “What’s going on?” Having grown used to having to catch up with Ewan’s ridiculous legs, keeping up with William was almost a breeze.

“There’s…” William frowned. “There’s a ghost missing.” He started to take the stairs two at a time, making me grateful I’d worn flats instead of heels.

“Missing?” I didn’t even know that was possible.

“Certain ghosts do attach themselves to a place, and the one who should’ve been at the school doors was gone when I arrived this morning. It…” He drifted off as we reached the fourth floor. His eyes widening as he looked down the empty hallway.

“William?” Clearly he was seeing _something_ , something even my own sight didn’t catch. I didn’t know if I should be grateful for that or not.

“She’s...gone.”

She? Even if I couldn’t see, I did my best to try and figure out why the hallway felt different than usual. “The cold spot?” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that was it, that the cold spot that was usually at the beginning of the hallway was gone. I hadn’t even known it was a ghost.

William nodded. He took a few hesitant steps, moving as if to walk around something. Without thinking I copied him. Just because I couldn’t see it, didn’t mean something wasn’t there. “She…” He reached out, only to jerk his hand back quickly. “I think she was killed.” He blinked rapidly.

“Ghosts can...die?” Which was perhaps a better thing to say than a quip about deep metaphysical conversations. I had to trust William’s experience on this one.

“Ghosts have energy, a core, and if it’s destroyed they...die.” William’s shrug was half-hearted. He continued towards the club room, avoiding spots on the floor.

I followed him again, avoiding the same spots. Once we were in the club room, William came to an almost abrupt stop, wrapping his arms around himself. This time I found I didn’t hesitate to reach out for him, resting my hand on his arm again. “Are you okay?”

He gave a watery smile. “I’ll be fine. It’s just like...growing so used to something being there that you forget about it, then it’s gone and…”

I squeezed. “What could’ve happened to them?”

“I don’t know,” he shook his head. “But the one at the door...it was ripped from it’s spot and dragged a ways before it died.”

His words painted a quite vivid picture in my head, and I shuddered. Ghosts and gore wasn’t something I’d ever contemplated, and now that I had, well, it didn’t look pretty. I felt even more grateful that I’d taken pains to walk where William’d walked.

“Yeah, it’s not...pretty. And, thank you, for that.”

My eyes widened and I jerked my hand back in surprise. “Shit, I forgot you can read my thoughts when I touch you. Sorry.” No wonder he didn’t like it when people touched him suddenly. I’d grown so used to avoiding touching Elliot for the same reason, I’m surprised I didn’t realize it sooner.

William shook his head. “I’m not like Elliot, I don’t need to be touching someone to hear their thoughts. Most people are quiet, so it’s easy to ignore them. Um,” his eyes darted away. “Back when you first came here you were really...loud, it was hard to ignore. But, you quieted down after Halloween!” He continued in a rush. “Though I could still hear you more than others…”

Oh _fuck_ , did he know… _Not_ thinking about that. Thinking about...how I needed to do laundry when I got home from school today, how pleased but embarrassed Spencer had looked when Ally practically demanded he come to her family’s Easter gathering on Sunday. Ewan this morning...the other night… I yelped and put my hands to my own red cheeks. Worse, much worse. Oh god, why couldn’t I go back to normal thoughts now, please and thank you.

William looked as embarrassed as I did, which wasn’t helping. “Look, um, it’s probably a Drifter that came into town because of Walpurgisnacht and Beltane.”

“Gesundheit,” the joke slipped out before I could stop it. But it was better than the alternative.

It got a tiny smile out of William.

“Is there anything we could do?” I asked, mildly out of desperation to think about other things.

He looked pleased and surprised, which wasn’t helping my ‘think about other things’ plan. “Not many people care about ghosts…”

“I mean...I’m borderline human, and my concept personhood’s become much...broader since I came back here.” How could it not when I was dating a faerie and regularly cuddling a unicorn? I did my best to give him a smile. “So it’s not really hard to think of ghosts as people too, even if I can’t see them.”

He blushed and ducked his head down. “Thank you. That’s…not a lot of people agree.”

Before I could say anything to that, mostly along the lines of ‘well they’re wrong,’ William began walking towards the door to the library, once again I followed.

There was a woman sitting at Vilos’ desk, and from the way William made a beeline for her and she brightened when she saw him, I hazarded she was the infamous Guess. They were already deep in conversation in the few seconds it took for me to join them.

She gave a head tilt when I did. “And who’s this?” There was a teasing note in her voice as she asked William.

“Guess, this is Nora,” William’s cheeks pinkened as he spoke. “Nora, this is my teacher, Guess.” 

Guess stuck her hand out. “You’re the faerie girl who threw everything into chaos over Samhain, right?”

“That’s me,” I answered, shaking her hand. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you myself.” Only a little true, but if she was going to exaggerate—I hadn’t thrown _everything_ into chaos—than so could I.

Her eyebrows rose sharply. “I hope it’s good things.”

I placed my hand over my heart. “I’d tell you, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy.” I grinned.

A mock gasp left Guess. “I hope it wasn’t you, William.” She turned to him and put him in a head lock. “Well? Were you?”

William was smiling as he ‘struggled’ to get away. “Only good things, I promise!”

I found myself smiling as I watched them, though I did feel a little flare of jealousy, that she could get a reaction out of him so easily, with him seeming to panic when it happened.

“Other people talk besides William,” I said primly. Deciding to ‘save’ him more trouble.

Guess laughed as she let him go. “I like you, you’re cheeky.”

I grinned back. “You don’t know the half of it,” I told her. “You should ask my boyfriend sometime how cheeky I can get.”

Which earned me more laughter from Guess, though unsurprisingly William ducked his head again.

Behind us a throat cleared. Vilos’ voice soon following. “I’m certain the two of you should be in class by now.”

“Aww.” Guess batted her eyelashes. “Don’t be like that, honey.” I almost choked trying to keep my laughter in. “Anyways, William had important info to tell me. Not sure why faerie girl followed.”

“William was out of it for a bit, I wanted to make sure he didn’t get hurt.” I supplied. 

Guess gave me an approving look, before reaching out and tousling William’s hair. “Thanks for telling me, kiddo. Vilos’ll write you both tardy slips and we’ll talk more about it later, alright?”

He gave a nod, and soon we were being shooed off to Lit.

-

SATURDAY April 20

Despite it being Saturday, I found myself up earlier than usual. Nursing my coffee at the counter, I bemusedly watched as Spencer tried to wash dishes while Bartholomew kept stealing the sponge. “I need that,” Spencer hissed quietly. “Bad enough you nest in my damn socks, give it here.”

To which Bartholomew chittered that it wanted to go swimming, and needed the flotation device. Even after a few months it was still weird to be able to understand him without actually understanding _what_ he was saying.

I found myself grinning behind the rim of my mug. “Mom’d hate us, but we could totally convince dad to put in one of those ornamental ponds. Fill it with rubber duckies."

“That,” Spencer said, flicking water on Bartholomew, sending the Brownie skittering away. “Is a terrible idea.” Triumphantly snatching the sponge he began to do the dishes.

“I think a rubber ducky for Bartholomew is a great idea.” Although we’d have a hell of a time explaining to mom and dad how it’d keep appearing and disappearing in the weirdest places. “It’d have it’s flotation device, you’d have the sponge whenever you wanted.” Really I should have thought of it before. “We can get one of those fancy dressed up ones.” Though I doubted there’d be a faerie ducky.

Bartholomew nodded enthusiastically, Spencer sighed. “Then you’re coming shopping with me today, because I’m sure as hell not picking it out.”

“Fine by me,” I shrugged. It wouldn’t take me long to pick one out, and I could spend the rest of the time at Faerie Forest.

Spencer eyed me, as if he might have an inkling of my thoughts, then sighed. “Was planning on leaving in half an hour.”

I nodded, more than enough time.

And thirty minutes later we were heading out. I rolled down the window the second we pulled out of the driveway, eager to breath in the spring air.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me tomorrow to Ally’s thing?” Spencer asked. “She is your friend.”

I shook my head. “I’m leaving you to represent the Lewis clan, you’d better hunt those eggs good.” I teased back. “Anyways Ewan invited me over, for his family’s own spring celebration.” A holiday he’d called _DiDòmhnaich Crum Dubh,_ which even after six months of Logan teaching me, I felt like I _still_ was pronouncing it wrong.

He had actually invited me, but I’d declined. Having the house to myself for a morning sounded amazing. “And your Spanish is better than mine.”

Spencer snorted. “So long as I don’t have to come rescue you later.”

“Please, I’ll rescue myself, thank you very much.” I spotted the toy shop as we entered downtown. “Drop me off here, text me when you’re done?”

“Yeah.”

I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or not that the toy shop was almost empty. It did mean I had an easy time finding the bath toys, and the box overflowing with rubber duckies. It also meant I probably looked a little strange, even moreso when I shoved my hand in, feeling around until I felt something...right. Grabbing it I pulled out what was in fact a rubber frog, in a suit.

Purchase made, I made my way towards Faerie Forest. Only to slow as I reached The Murder. I should've kept going, but their siren song of coffee lured me in, and unlike Odysseus, I had no mast or wax to save me.

I breathed deep when I stepped inside, filling my lungs with coffee and steam. Seeing Kaya at the counter only put me off a little bit, now that I’d come this far, my brain wouldn’t let me leave without coffee. I put on the best smile I could. “Morning. Cherry creme latte please.” Corvin swore Merle’s magic wasn’t actually in coffee, but I still didn’t believe him. How could anyone make such good coffee based drinks and _not_ be using magic?

She nodded and rang me up, giving me a lingering stare. “Be careful.”

“What?” I blinked.

Before she could answer the door from the kitchens burst open, Corvin seeming to literally fly out. He managed to trip over his own feet and started to head for the floor. Without thought I reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt, keeping him from an impressive faceplant.

“Thanks!” I couldn’t help but shake my head and smile as Corvin righted himself. “You staying long?”

I shook my head. “Just stopped by for coffee, was heading towards Faerie Forest.”

Corvin’s sigh was so exaggerated I had to laugh. “I guess they do have better pastries.”

“Don’t let Aiah hear you say that, Cori,” Merle warned as he joined us, to go cup in hand. “Enjoy your coffee, Nora.”

“When you make it I always do,” I agreed. “See you in class, Cor.” I gave his scarf a friendly tug as I passed him.

I laughed again at his insulted ‘hey.’ Outside I took a sip of my coffee, already the perfect temperature for drinking—how could that _not_ be magic? Cherries, coffee, and a dash of pepper; I made happy noises at my cup for a few seconds before finally dragging myself down the street.

Reaching Faerie Forrest I blinked at seeing how busy it was inside. I opened the door, but quickly stepped aside, holding it open for a harried looking woman carrying boxes of cupcakes decorated with little eggs.

As I turned to head inside, I spotted a familiar head of dark hair across the street. William and Guess, who clearly looked focused on something. As much as part of me wanted to head over to speak with William, I continued inside, joining the throng.

While I knew Ewan and his family didn’t celebrate Easter, that clearly didn’t stop them from selling it to anyone who might come in; everything I saw as I headed to the counter was covered in eggs, bunnies, and frosting cleverly disguised as grass.

“Nora!” Logan beamed at me. Gesturing me closer, he raised the counter for me to join him behind it. “Be a love and get Ewan, lass. Need him up here.”

I gave a little salute and headed into the kitchen, which appeared even more chaotic than the store itself. I dodged ingredients flying around Sleeping Beauty style, spotting Ewan coming out of the walk in fridge. 

“Ewan,” Melanie Croft’s voice rang out. “Where’s the grains of paradise?” Her head popped up from the spice right, dark brown hair pinned up in an elaborate fashion and face streaked with flour. “Hello, Nora dear. Duck please.”

I did so, glancing up to see a mixing bowl rush over my head and into her hands.

“Top shelf mom,” Ewan answered. “In the back.” He set down the butter and milk he was carrying and came over to me. “Hello, what’re you doing here?” Conveniently there was a step stool to help make kissing that much easier.

“Thought I’d stop by,” I answered. “Your dad wants you up front, it’s busy out there.”

He shot me an aggrieved look, but headed on out.

“Put your hair up and wash your hands, dearie.” Melanie’s voice tore me away from watching Ewan go. “I need the hands.”

Before I could stop myself I snorted. “You’ve got at least ten pairs by the looks of it.”

She stepped out from behind the spice rack, her height rivaling Ewan’s. Her own pair of rough, pockmarked hands set the bottles of spices, and the mixing bowl down. “Yes, well, magic doesn’t talk back, or tell good jokes. So get yourself kitted up and help.”

So I put my hair up, washed my hands, and got to work.

I was there long enough that Spencer texted me he’d finished, and I told him to head home without me. Despite my joking reluctance I was more than happy to stay and help, Melanie’s anecdotes about Ewan, and Logan, more than enough to keep me in the kitchen.

Eventually though, Ewan returned. “Mom,” he gave a fond sigh. “Not sure how I feel about you roping my girlfriend into helping.” I smiled up at him from the cake I was frosting, he smiled back and hugged me from behind.

“I ain’t your father, Ewan,” she chided back good-naturedly. “I was gonna pay her.”

“You don’t need to pay me,” I protested. I was more than happy to help considering how busy they clearly were.

“Nonsense,” Melanie wiped her hands clean on her apron. “You did the work, you get paid. It was what, two hours? Take her out front Ewan and give her thirty from the till, then see her home.” Her tone brooked no argument.

So I didn’t say anything until we were out front again, to a much emptier store. “You really don’t need to.” I glanced outside to see Logan chatting with an elderly man.

“After the week we’ve had, thirty’s pennies. Always our busiest time of the year, after Christmas,” Ewan said.

I remembered, I’d barely seen him at all after school’d let out for winter break. Which had made getting his gift ready easier, but I’d still missed him. So I took the money without protest.

“Want me to take you home?”

I shook my head. “It’s too nice out, walking won’t take me too long.” I let Ewan tug me to him, tilting my head up for his kiss. “See you on Monday.”

“Monday,” he agreed. “Though the invitation for tomorrow’s still open. I promise there won’t be any kidnapping, or faerie food.”

Rolling my eyes I untangled myself. “I’m not convinced,” I teased. “But I’ll think about it.”

Outside really was as nice as I looked. Logan and I waved at each other as I passed. 

I was almost out of the downtown area when I decided to take a break, I didn’t have anything pressing to do until later, so why not just sit for a while and enjoy the nice weather? It’d been so long since I’d seen spring in Pine Hollow after all.

The bench was sunwarmed against my clothes and I let myself relax into it, closing my eyes and tilting my head up towards the sun. All of my worries and cares seeming to drift away the longer I sat there, soaking up the sun. I knew I’d need to worry about getting sunburned soon, but I also didn’t much care about that.

Cold tickled the back of my neck. At first I thought it was a breeze, but the only place I felt it was my neck, and it was too persistent.

“Pretty,” a voice hissed behind me.

I leapt up without thinking, magic rising to my touch. “No.” I cast it out, golden light flashing as I made a barrier between me and the vaguely human shaped Drifter who tried to approach. It opened it’s mouth far too wide in anger. “Red,” it snarled. “Give.”

Before I might’ve tried to ignore it, or run away; while the latter was still an option, I wasn’t going to let a Drifter creep on me anymore, now that I had magic. Doing my best to keep it in view I began to back up, hopefully it was only focused on this one spot and once I left it’d lose interest.

It started to follow, to my frustration. I could try to bump it back, but I didn’t know how well that would work on non-corporeal beings. Thankfully, I didn’t have to find out.

“Hey bozo,” Guess’ voice sounded behind me. “Get lost.” She stepped in line with me, intent anger clear in her expression. “Or I’ll make you get lost.”

It hissed again, but backed off.

With Guess there I let myself relax, not surprised to find I was shaking a little.

“Nora, are you alright?” I started a little at the feel of William’s hand on my shoulder.

After a few seconds I gave a nod. “Yeah, just, caught off guard.” I’d gotten through the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox without any trouble from Drifters, so why now? Though could one really ascribe ‘whys’ to beings that didn’t think like humans did? I took a few deeps breaths. “Thanks for the assist.”

“Wasn’t just gonna leave you high and dry, faerie girl,” Guess’ cheek dimpled as she smiled. “You get into trouble often?”

Perhaps it was a little childish, but I stuck my tongue out at her anyways. “I do just fine.”

She laughed. “Don’t think it’s too safe for you to going out alone, got someone who can take you home?”

“Ewan,” I answered with something of annoyed sigh. “He’s at Faerie Forest.” Which was closer than calling Spencer or someone else to come pick me up.

“William, you go with her, yeah? I can handle this last checkup on my own.” Without waiting for a response she gave a cheery wave and headed down an alleyway.

“I don’t need an escort,” I told him as kindly as I could. “It’s fine if you want to follow Guess.” Turning back downtown I began walking. Hopefully things hadn’t picked up again and Ewan could spare twenty or so minutes.

William caught up to me easily. “It’s no trouble,” he said, cheeks pink. “We were basically done anyways.”

“Checkups?” Since he’d basically brought it up, I didn’t feel too bad in asking.

“The Agency wanted to know if any other spirits and ghosts had gone missing, so Guess and I have been checking places all over town the past few days.” He let out a slow breath. “It’s been pretty bad.”

I tilted myself towards him so that I bumped his arm in comfort. “How many? I mean...if you want to keep talking about it. Again, you can tell me to be quiet whenever you want.”

“I don’t mind,” a smile tugged at his lips. I found myself giving a small smile back. “Over a dozen, it’s...pretty bad. Whatever’s doing it is going after the weaker, location based ones, or they were.”

I started to ask another question, but before I could really get it out we were at Faerie Forest, Ewan outside sweeping. He arched an eyebrow when he saw us. “I know I’m irresistible to you Nora, be we do have to stop meeting like this.”

Rolling my eyes I marched up to him and slapped him on the arm. “For that you can take me home,” I sniffed. “Guess says I’m apparently not allowed to be unsupervised,” I gestured to William in emphasis. 

“Let me go tell my parents.” Ewan ran a hand through my hair as he went back inside.

“Thanks, William, for the company.” I smiled.

He turned a little pink again, and I tried to not read too much into it. “It’s no trouble.” He gave a wave and jogged off.

-

Spencer jogged down the path. “Nora?” He called out. She couldn’t have gotten far in the ten or so minutes she’d been gone.

In the distance he could hear wolves howling. And it was strange to think that only six months ago he’d wondered about that, because Oregon didn’t really _have_ wolves, but no one in Pine Hollow seemed to remember that fact. Now it was just...werewolves, perhaps not being as smart as they should be.

“Nora,” he called out again. “If you’re hiding from me to be funny I’m just gonna go right back and we’ll watch _Oceans 8_ without you.” Before he would’ve just assumed she _was_ doing that, not that he’d have gone looking for her in the first place. Now he just wondered if she somehow found Danny and Elliot and was too deep in conversation to hear him.

He was about to call out a third time when he felt as if something slimy and cold had wiggled it’s way into his chest and _squeezed_. The air in his lungs rushed out and a few seconds later he was running, trusting he was headed towards Nora, and whatever troubled she’d gotten herself into.

Spencer burst into a small clearing to see Nora just standing there. Something tentacle like wrapped around her forearm, attaching her to something... _not human_ , was all Spencer’s brain could compute. Her magic was crumbling around her.

“Get away!” Maybe he could have focused his own magic a little better, but he was more concerned with getting whatever this was away from Nora. Golden light hit the...thing, it recoiled a little, a dry, rattling sound escaping it, but it didn’t let go.

Reaching out, Spencer grabbed Nora’s shoulder, more magic filling him at the contact. “Let go!” He snapped, a much more blinding golden light filling the space between them and it.

A boneshaking screech filled the air as it recoiled completely. The appendage holding Nora slipping off.

Without thinking too much about it, Spencer snatched her up and began running back towards the house.

He didn’t stop until he felt himself passing through the familiar tingle of Ally’s wards, hopefully they were strong enough to stop...whatever that was. He felt even more relief when he heard a soft groan from Nora, looking down he saw her eyes flutter open. “Nora?”

“Spencer?” She croaked. She looked pale, but he didn’t know if that was the lighting, or she’d been hurt.

“Are you okay?” Mentally he gave a few curses that he hadn’t thought much of learning healing magic, which was clearly coming to bite him in the ass. Gingerly he set her down, she managed to keep her feet, but stumbled a little when she tried to take a step.

“Don’t...know,” she finally answered.

Getting her arm around him he started to bring her into the house, the glass door opened before he could reach out, Bartholomew expressing his worry, and promising mom and dad wouldn’t hear them.

“Let’s get you upstairs and checked out.” Or at least as checked out as he was willing to go. So far she didn’t seem to be bleeding anywhere, which he’d take for now.

Nora gave a quiet protest as they made the first step, but handed the rest better. Reaching the bathroom, Spencer gave a sigh as he set Nora on the toilet, before flicking the light on and getting the first aid kit from under the sink.

Turning around his worst fears _weren’t_ confirmed, though Nora didn’t look good by any definition of the word. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. I went out and was planning on coming back when I...ran into that thing, I guess. I put up a barrier, but clearly it wasn’t strong enough.” She _sounded_ a little better, at least. Which Spencer would take right now.

Carefully he grabbed the arm that appendage thing had been wrapped around, grabbing the scissors he began to cut away at her sleeve, not liking it at all that the sleeve clung to her skin instead of falling away. “I’m gonna have to peel this off, hope it doesn’t hurt too much.”

When Nora didn’t respond right away, he glanced up at her face, not liking her pale expression. “Spencer,” she finally managed to speak. “I can’t...I can’t feel my forearm.”

 _Fuck_. In his head he did some very quick math. “I could call Vilos, it’s not _too_ early over in Bulgaria.” Though Spencer wouldn’t feel all that bad if he woke the other man up, not if it meant getting Nora better sooner. 

“No,” Nora said with a shake of her head. “I’m fine, it’s just...numb.” When he looked back at her hand he found himself a little comforted by the fact her fingers were curling and uncurling. So maybe the numbness would go away after a while.

Even though she couldn’t feel it, Spencer was still careful in his removal of her sleeve.

The whole skin of her forearm was red and mottled, like it’d been badly sunburned, except for where the appendage had been directly. That looked more like an old burn, shiny and white, the way it looked almost reminding Spencer of a vine or root. “I’m still gonna bandage this up,” he told her. He set the gauze bandages on her lap, uncapping the antiseptic before starting to apply it.

“Thank you,” Nora said quietly.

He gave a nod as he focused on his task. What else was he supposed to have done? Let it...whatever it was doing to her? “I might be your younger brother, but that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna look out for you.” He said as he began to put on the bandage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DiDòmhnaich Crum Dubh is a sort-of holiday, in the highlands of Scotland it is, or was, celebrated on Easter (hence it's mention/minor appearance next chapter), though in Ireland it's celebrated on Aug 1, because reasons I'm sure. But as Crom Dubh is considered the god/first/creator of Dullahan (or at least they're associated with him in folklore) it seemed only right to have it here.


	4. Chapter 4

SUNDAY April 21

I tried to go to sleep after Spencer finished bandaging me up. But every time I closed my eyes, all I could feel was the endless falling _void_ creeping in again, threatening to swallow me whole like it almost had before.

So I kept myself awake, first reading books, until I realized it was starting to make me tired, then switching to movies and tv shows on my laptop.

To my surprise, sometime around midnight, Bartholomew joined me. Snuggling into my lap like a twiggy cat and chirping that it was glad I was getting better.

Eventually I put my laptop back on the desk, and curled up in my bed, pretending to be asleep as I heard my parents get up downstairs. Mom knocked on my door, but when I didn’t answer she went to Spencer’s. Fifteen or so minutes after that he knocked on my bathroom door.

“Yeah?” I croaked.

He came in and gave me a look. “Did you even sleep? You look like shit.”

I flipped him off and shook my head at the same time.

“Mom and dad are headed out to mom’s business brunch thing soon. Do you want me to stay? I’m sure Ally would understand if I bailed.”

Again I shook my head. “Go,” I told him. “Ally’s been excited for you to meet all her cousins and stuff. I’ll be fine, Ewan’ll help me feel better.” Which almost sounded like my normal self.

Spencer made a face, but left me alone. And about twenty minutes later I was home alone.

With a sigh I got up and shuffled downstairs. My arm still felt numb, but I could still get it to _do_ things, which became more disturbing the more I thought about it. Bartholomew did it’s best to distract me, happily riding it’s frog around in the half-full sink, singing a _very_ dirty song.

As I ate breakfast I knew I’d have to tell someone what happened to me last night, Vilos for sure, but he could wait until tomorrow at school, where he’d hopefully be able to heal me up too. Ally, Danny, and Elliot were out of the question, all of them had family and holiday stuff going on, as did Ewan. Which left Corvin, Marc—honestly I had no idea how I’d gotten _his_ number, but one day it’d been in my contacts—and William.

Marc was a definite no, he’d been more standoffish than usual the few times we’d run into each other at the club. I didn’t know if Corvin and his family did anything, or if it was just another day at the office for them. William could be in the same boat, I knew, but I still found myself bringing up his number, an empty text chat greeting me.

 _Hey, hope I’m not bothering you_ There, simple, and it left him all the room to tell me no. _This is Nora, btw_ I continued, realizing I might’ve gotten his number, but he’d never gotten mine.

My heart leapt into my throat for a second when I saw typing bubbles. _You’re not bothering me, somethign wrong?_

Maybe I was a little put out that he thought I’d only be texting him because something’d happened. Granted something _had_ happened, but that was besides the point. _kinda_ I hedged. _wanted to meet and talk, that ok?_

He didn’t respond for a few minutes, and I tried not to get mad at myself for maybe being too forward. To try and distract myself I called up my magic, after a few tries managing to get a decent glamour spell over my bandages so no one’d know.

My phone chimed. _Sure_ , was William’s reply. _Around the bridge out of Raven’s Glade?_

_See you in a few minutes then_. Hurriedly I put on some clothes and tried to make it so I didn’t look like I hadn’t slept in over a day.

Outside the air was clean and full of sounds of kids running and arguing over who’d found the most eggs, or someone stealing eggs from someone else. I gave a fond shake of my head as I headed towards the bridge, perhaps without a skip in my step, but I found myself feeling a little better than I had before I’d left the house.

By the time I’d gotten to the park close to the bridge I could almost convince myself things were _fine_. To my surprise I spotted William right away, sitting under a tree, chin resting on his knees as he watched a different hoard of children running around screaming at each other as they hunted for eggs. A few Drifters lurked around, but they seemed content to only watch too.

“Hey, thanks for meeting me.” It was cooler in the shade, and I felt grateful I’d worn a sweater. “Hope I didn’t pull you away from anything.”

William turned and gave me a little smile, which was devastating and I was _not_ going to think more about it, not while I was with William at least. “It’s fine, I...I wanted an excuse to get out of the house anyways. Dad came back for mom’s funeral, and it’s been...tense.” His attention quickly went back to the kids. “So I should be thanking you some.”

“You don’t live with your dad?” Which was perhaps not the most tactful question to ask, in my defense it slipped out before I could stop it. Though a part of me was grateful, because I couldn’t exactly think of a good way to bring up what happened to me last night.

“No,” he said. “My grandparents. We used to live in Grants Pass when I was younger, but after…” He shook his head. “He’s basically lived in Medford since I was nine.”

There was a story there, and despite myself, I pressed. “After what? If you don’t mind me asking, just don’t make me repeat myself about shutting up.”

A huff of laughter escaped him. “I don’t mind,” he repeated. “I haven’t exactly hidden it, just people are afraid to ask me, if they get that close.” A whole sentiment I didn’t like at all, but I managed to keep quiet, afraid if I said anything William wouldn’t tell me. “My mom was an Esper like I am, but, well, she wasn’t all that powerful, not enough to draw that many spirits to her. So when I started to draw some of my chorus in when I was _young_ , I think she started to be afraid of me, especially since the spirits would get mad when she and dad tried to treat me like a normal kid.

“That was when dad started spending more time at work in Medford, and well,” he wrapped his arms around his legs, hunching in on himself. “One weekend when he was gone, she, she decided to set the house on fire, with us still inside. My chorus saved me, but not her, and being nine, and loving my mom even after she tried to kill me, I...went back in after her. I did…”

I didn’t exactly mean to cut William off when I scooted over to him and pulled him into a hug, but I didn’t mind either. How could I _not_ want to comfort him after hearing that? How could anyone? I squeezed my arms tight around him. I couldn’t perhaps truly understand what he’d gone through, but I could still empathize.

To my relief he started to return the hug. I froze a little when I felt him trembling, until I realized he was _crying_. I made soothing sounds as I pressed my face into his hair. Each inhale bringing with it the smells of lavender and something that I could only call ‘incense.’ I rubbed a hand up and down his back, offering what comfort I could.

As we held each other I realized that despite my feelings, I wanted to be friends with William, no matter what else happened. And that I’d endure quite a lot so long as I knew that would actually _happen_.

Eventually William drew away, rubbing at his red-rimmed eyes. “Sorry,” he croaked. “You wanted to talk about something, and here I am telling you my tragic backstory and crying all over you.”

“No,” I shook my head forcefully at the self-deprecating joke. “I asked, so you don’t get to feel bad about that. I _want_ to know things about you William, that’s what friends do. There’s not exactly a time limit to this conversation, so it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get to why I wanted to talk.”

I saw a blush race across William’s cheeks before he buried his face in his knees. “Okay,” he said.

“Why isn’t your Chorus here?” I thought they would be, doing their best to be threatening and all around assholes as usual.

William reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pendant necklace. The gold glimmered in the sunlight, though not as much as the olive green stone in the pendant. “It keeps ghosts and spirits away, though I can’t use it all the time. They don’t like being kept away.”

I bit my tongue against saying anything about _that_ , William already had to know, and I didn’t want this to turn into an argument that would make neither of us happy. Not that either of us were ‘happy’ at the moment, but things could be worse. “Well I could have used that last night,” perhaps not the best joke to make, but as good an opening as any.

He made a questioning sound, and I forced myself to dive right in. I perhaps didn’t go so far to mention that whatever it’d been had _hurt_ me, but everything else did manage to make it’s way out.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” William gave a wan smile. “Though I hope you’re planning on telling Vilos about this.”

A huff of laughter left me. “Yes, I’m telling Vilos, _tomorrow_.” I held up my pointer and middle finger. “Scout’s honor.” Which thankfully got a little laugh out of William. “I just...wanted to tell someone else first.”

“Not Ewan?” William shifted, firmly looking anywhere but at me.

“I’ll tell him too,” I answered. “I just...didn’t want to pull him away from his family stuff today.” I shrugged. “I’ll make it up to him by letting him fuss extra, probably bake me something.” Neither of which I saw as a downside. “You were definitely my first choice out of all the people I wasn’t sure celebrated a holiday of some sort today. So thanks, which is a weird thing to say, but I guess I can’t unsay it now.”

“You’re welcome.” A smile tugged at his lips. “I should probably be heading back though,” his smile turned apologetic.

Part of me wanted to protest, because despite how heavy the conversation had gotten I’d enjoyed it. I reminded that part of me that being friends with William was going to require a lot of patience, and maybe someone else to complain to about how _possessive_ his chorus was. “Alright, thank you again for meeting with me, I had a good time.”

William was a little pink as he stood. “See you tomorrow,” he said with a wave before walking off.

I sat for a little while longer in the shade, but I soon stood as well. While I’m sure I meant to go home, I found myself wandering towards the other end of the subdivision. Eventually ending up in front of Ewan’s house. I gave a little laugh, but continued on, knocking on the door. I was here, so I guess the universe was trying to tell me something.

It opened a few seconds later, Melanie smiling down at me. “Nora! I’ve told you you don’t need to knock.” She grabbed me by the arm, thankfully my uninjured one, and tugged me inside. “Ewan went to get the eggs from Mrs. Lansky, but he should be back in a few minutes.”

“Mellie!” Logan called out from the kitchen. “I’m icing these gold, unless ya come and stop me.”

I couldn’t help but smile at Melanie’s bemused sigh, my world already feeling a little brighter than it had before. I followed her into the kitchen, which was a study in organized chaos.

Logan grinned when he saw me trailing behind Melanie. “Nora, glad to see ya.” He dropped a bag of frosting and came over to scoop me up into a hug, only to pull away a little a second later. “Cromm’s bones, Nora, something happen?” He narrowed his eyes as if that might help him see it better.

I managed to tell him in more concise words than I’d certainly told William, by tomorrow I’d have it down pat for Vilos and Guess.

He gave a grave nod and bent down to kiss the top of my head. “Losin’ a bit o’ soul ain’t good for ya, not like that leastways. Go up to Ewan’s room, get on some of his huffle-buffs. Send him yer way when he gets back, feel right as rain in no time.”

I blushed, but nodded. The sounds of Logan and Melanie playfully bantering following me up the stairs as I went to Ewan’s room, at the far end of the hall their own brownie chittered at me and waved. I managed to wave back as tiredness swept over me.

Entering Ewan’s room I didn’t bother to turn on the light, the sunlight through the curtains was enough for me. I pulled off my shoes and went to Ewan’s dresser to trade my sweater and shirt for one of his, shimmying out of my jeans after I put it on—it was practically a dress on me anyways.

Crawling into Ewan’s bed felt wonderful, and surrounded by the smell of him—engine oil and vanilla—knowing I was safe here, I found myself crying. Not just for myself, I realized with a start, but for William too. How could I not after what he’d told me? Was I the first person he’d ever told? Guess knew, but because he’d told her? Or because it was likely in whatever file he had at the Agency?

Clearly no one else knew. If they did, I’d hope they’d never leave him alone, pissy ghosts or not.

Footsteps on the stairs, and I curled up a little tighter. A moment later the door opened. “Nora?” Ewan’s voice was quiet.

“Hey,” I even sounded choked and watery.

He was in the bed with me barely a moment later, pulling me firmly against him. “Hey, now. I got you,” he soothed, hand rubbing all up and down my back while the other settled on my neck, thumb tracing circles.

I don’t know how long it was until I cried myself out, but Ewan held me the entire time, comforting and calming all on his own. I felt raw and aching and I managed a ghost of a smile as I turned my head up to me. “Thanks."

“Of course.” He buried his face in my hair for a moment. “Dad told me what happened, but do you want to talk about it?” I shook my head. “Want me to stay here?” I nodded. He kissed my temple. “Give me a sec.” He extracted himself, taking off his boots and jeans before grabbing a book from his desk. We settled back in together under the covers, his chest a good pillow as I cuddled up against his side. “Want me to read to you?”

“What is it?”

“William Blake, _The Marriage of Heaven and Hell_ at the moment.”

I shrugged. Blake sounded vaguely familiar, but I didn’t recognize the title. However I also wasn’t going to pass up on having Ewan read to me.

He huffed, but opened the small book, clearing his throat dramatically. “The voice of the Devil: All Bibles or sacred codes, have been the causes of the following Errors. One, that Man has two real principles viz: a Body and a Soul...” Ewan’s voice washed through me as he continued to read, the words not quite losing their meaning, but becoming less important to the whole experience.

The longer he read the more I found myself drifting, floating down and down towards sleep. Yawning darkness beginning to envelop me…

Fear shot me back awake, a sharp cry leaving me as I struggled.

“Hey, hey, Nora, I’m here, it’s okay.” Ewan wrapped around me again, holding me tight as the fear bled away. “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t want to sleep, too much like...like what happened.” I shivered. “Never gonna sleep again.”

“You’ll die if you do that, you know,” Ewan said reasonably. “You gotta sleep sometime. Here’s better place than any. _I’m_ not gonna let a soul-sucking spirit eat my girlfriend, dad wouldn’t like it either, and mom would _definitely_ do something.”

I let out a weak laugh.

He ran a hand through my hair. “Sleep Nora, I’ll be right here.” He hauled me up a little, so my face was buried in his neck. Soon after he began to hum, the sound seeming to vibrate through me. “I forbid you maidens all, that wear gold in your hair,” he sang softly. Almost against my will my whole body relaxed into him. “To travel to Carterhaugh, for young Tam Lin is there.”

Sleep started to creep up on me again, even more quickly than before, Ewan’s singing lulling and beautiful. “‘And why come you to Caterhaugh, without command from me?’ ‘I’ll come and go,’ young Janet said, ‘and ask no leave of thee.’”

I gave into sleep.

-

More than a little grateful, Ewan shut the door on the sounds of his dad and Brenna arguing.

“What’s it this time?” Dracen whispered from the bed, clearly trying not to wake the still sleeping Nora.

Even though Dracen couldn’t see it, Ewan rolled his eyes as he grabbed the hairbrush from his desk. “Shove over,” he said quietly. “There was a spot in Brenna’s yolk, dad says it’s red, Brenna says it’s orange.” Joining them on the bed he undid Dracen’s braid and began brushing out his hair.

“Can’t be red,” Dracen said easily. “Cats don’t get bad luck. Unless, did she say blood orange?” Dracen’s tone implied some sort of reference.

“No,” Ewan answered, before tugging on Dracen’s ear. “I still don’t watch reality TV,” he gripped.

Dracen’s sigh was far too exaggerated. “You _like_ drama, you damn well should. Better than you making it yourself. Although,” Dracen looked down at Nora, curled up in his arms. “Nora doesn’t seem to have any trouble causing drama. Whatever it is it’s got Marc in a snit, which would be funny if he weren’t so insufferable.”

“Something about William,” Ewan said. Finishing his brushing he gathered the crown part of Dracen’s hair and began braiding. “And I get plenty of drama at theater, thank you very much.”

“Ah,” was Dracen’s only response. Which certainly implied Dracen knew more than Ewan did, but he wasn’t going to let that bother him.

As he finished up the braid, he couldn’t quite help himself. “You know, most people would be warning her off him, and trying to get _me_ to say something.” Not that he would, if Nora wanted to be friends with William, he wasn’t going to stop her.

Dracen let out a snort. “He’s dangerous, you’re Unseelie, they’re practically synonymous.”

Ewan firmly tugged on the lock of hair he was holding, before weaving it into the braid. “I’m _not_ Unseelie.” Faerie he’d accept, but he wanted nothing to do with the courts. Especially after Samhain.

“Not according to my mother and the Seelie,” Dracen said dryly. “Are you still with that dreadful dullahan?” His voice turned high and airy as he imitated her. “Why couldn’t you have least chosen a pooka?” He shrugged. “She’s not quite wrong though, there aren’t any dullahan in any Seelie court.”

“Doesn’t automatically make me Unseelie,” Ewan replied, perhaps a little testily. “You’re mom’s awful anyways, so why are we paying attention to her opinion?”

He knew he’d gotten the point when Dracen didn’t reply, instead changing the subject. “Did Nora tell you more about what happened?”

“No,” he said.

“We could find out,” Dracen continued. Rubbing a thumb over the glamour spell she’d put over her arm, a little heavy handed, but she was still trying to get the hang of them.

“No,” he repeated more firmly, tugging on Dracen’s hair again. “She’ll tell me when she’s ready, same with whatever William stuff is going on.” After she’d done it for him, the least he could do was the same. He trusted she wasn’t hiding anything too awful from him.

Another exaggerated sigh, but Dracen let it be.

-

“So how do I do this?” I asked cautiously, looking down at the long needle, bowl, and egg sitting in front of me. With care I picked up the egg with my left hand. It was the most beautifully decorated egg I’d ever seen: somehow it’d been dyed red, yellow, and orange, with black lines that marked out a diamond pattern, and even scenes of someone on a horse riding through a forest.

I hoped ‘this’ didn’t involve _breaking_ the egg. Though I might believe in magic and Cryptics, I wasn’t sure about fortune telling.

“You pierce through both sides of the egg with the needle, then you blow the yolk and whites into the bowl, hard as you can,” Ewan answered. “I guess as long as it’s a straight line it doesn’t matter where.”

“Top to bottom is traditional,” Brenna said testily. I ignored her.

Granted, the top and bottom of the egg were the least decorated. “Can you help me?” I asked Ewan, a little embarrassed.

He shifted closer to me. “Long as I don’t touch the egg, yeah.” With more care than I’d even picked up the egg, I grabbed the needle, letting Ewan help me position it. “Trick’s to do it in one go, hesitating makes it more likely the egg’ll break.”

It barely felt like it took any effort at all, not that I was a good judge of that at the moment. But soon the needle was poking out the bottom of the egg. Pulling it out Ewan shifted the bowl over to me as I raised the egg to my mouth.

Blowing as hard as I could felt like the exact opposite of what I should have done. A few seconds later however I still had an undamaged shell in my hand, and the yolks and whites were a mess in the bowl.

“Good job, lass,” Logan beamed.

I put my shell in the larger bowl with the others, while Melanie took the other bowl, staring down into it carefully.

I unwrapped the cupcake Ewan’d put in front of me and bit into it, chocolate and mint mmmmm, though I was a bit surprised to encounter a crunch. Pulling it away I saw there were little candy bones—at least I hoped they were candy—in the cupcake. I decided I didn’t want to know why.

“Luck in love,” Melanie finally spoke. “Though that wasn’t in doubt.” Thankfully I wasn’t the only one to blush a little at that. “A few troubles, but nothing awful. And…” She gave a little frown. “Brenna?”

Brenna was there in a second, staring down into the bowl as intently as Melanie. “The singer means well? Curious.” Her intent gaze turned to me. “An interesting year for you then.”

Leaning against Ewan, I wondered if I could handle an ‘interesting year.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huffle-buffs is an old Scottish slang term for comfy clothes, and I feel it deserves a comeback.
> 
> The song Ewan sings is Tam Lin, specifically the [version by Fairport Convention](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47z5n7p9B3I), which is so much Ewan and Nora's song it kinda hurts _laughs_. Speaking of music, if you've got spotify, I have [a playlist for the Moths series](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4PP1XlGi2ja68mdj510tTb?si=fuJPHEPJSmK-XQqtLEVIig) up and running.
> 
> If you've never seen Ukrainian Easter eggs/Pysanka, [here's a great little video about them](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1xxHKOaZlo).


	5. Chapter 5

MONDAY April 22

With Ewan trailing behind me as moral support, I entered the clubroom bright and early Monday morning. Blinking a little in surprise to see William seated in one of the chairs. “Morning.”

He practically leapt to his feet. “Morning,” he said in a rush. “I thought I could be moral support.” His gaze drifted to Ewan. “But I guess you already have some, don’t you.” He grabbed his bag and started to leave. I reached out and stopped him.

“I could use all the damn support I can get,” I told him firmly. “Is Guess in there too?”

William nodded, and thankfully didn’t try to leave, only following after me as well.

Guess and Vilos were clearly deep in some sort of conversation, but William must have mentioned something aready. Because when Vilos spotted me I got his full attention. “Miss Lewis?”

I launched into the story without preamble, adding all the details I could recall at the time. Maybe I should’ve gotten Spencer to come too, though I didn’t know if he saw anything more than I did. I found myself drifting off as I neared the end, giving a little shrug. “So how was your Saturday night?”

Which got a snigger from Guess, thankfully.

“Far less exciting, I’m afraid,” Vilos answered dryly. “May I see the injury?”

I shrugged off my jacket, thankfully I’d planned ahead and worn only a t-shirt. A slash of my fingers broke the glamour, revealing the bandages still on my arm—showering hadn’t been fun yesterday, but changing them if they got wet had seemed too much hassle. Carefully I undid the knot and began to unwrap it, though considering I still couldn’t feel it I don’t know why I bothered to be gentle.

When I finished, practically everyone let out sounds of shock. I was just relieved it didn’t look any worse than it had Saturday, not that it looked any better either.

“May I?” Vilos asked as he took the seat across from me. I set my arm on the table in offering and if I hadn’t been looking I wouldn’t have been able to tell he picked it up and started inspecting it. “I can’t do anything for the injury for your soul, but you seem to have that well in hand.” I felt a blush race across my cheeks. “You can’t feel anything?” I shook my head. Vilos frowned. “I’m not sure how much I can heal, but I will need Corvin’s help, as there’s some miasma in the wound. Ewan, if you don’t mind?”

Ewan bent down to kiss the top of my head, murmuring, “Back soon.” before jogging out of the library.

“I’m afraid Nora,” Vilos’ voice drew me back to him. “That you will still have some scarring, even after I’ve finished.”

I wasn’t surprised by that. “Well I did want a reason to get better at glamour magic,” I joked.

“That’s the spirit,” Guess agreed.

“We’ll match,” William said.

I jumped a little, having forgotten for a moment he was still there. I made a questioning sound.

A wan smile crossed his face as he took off his jacket and rolled up his own sleeve. “My chorus didn’t follow me when I went back in for my mom.” A long, pale burn started right below his elbow and clearly continued up his arm past his sleeve. He shrugged. “Harder for me to hide them though.”

“I keep telling him he shouldn’t hide them,” Guess said. Reaching out she tousled his hair. “But they’re not my scars.”

William ducked his head. “People ask too many questions,” he explained.

Reaching out with my good hand I grabbed one of his and squeezed. “Thank you, for showing me.”

He smiled and I could feel my heart begin to race.

Thankfully Ewan returned with Corvin, who’s eyes widened when he saw my arm. “Nora, what happened?”

“I ran into something that didn’t like my charming personality,” I answered. “But it’s okay, all the badasses I know have scars.”

Ewan sniggered as he took the seat between me and William. Vilos and Corvin retreated for a second, holding a little conference, and Guess said her goodbyes, saying she wanted to check out the woods to see if she could find anything, insisting William stay when he tried to go with her. Which I was relieved by, I knew William could handle himself, but I didn’t want him getting hurt.

“Alright, Miss Lewis.” I turned my attention back to Vilos. “The easy part is Corvin getting the miasma out, which shouldn’t take long. And would you rather I did the healing in stages, or all at once?”

“At once,” I answered quickly. Wanting this done and over with so I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. 

He nodded. “You’ll still miss some of first period, I’m afraid.” He looked at Ewan and William. “I can assume I can’t convince you both to head to class without her.”

“No,” Ewan said.

Will shook his head.

Vilos sighed. “Given the circumstances, I’ll allow it. Corvin,” he gestured at the chair across from me.

Corvin sat down, giving a bright smile. “Don’t worry, won’t hurt a bit.” He set the creepier of his two grimoires next to my arm. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began chanting, soft white light filling the space between us.

Thankfully he was right about it not hurting, and when he finished I found I even felt better. Still couldn’t feel my arm, but I didn’t feel so awful about the whole thing. “Thanks,” I told him.

His smile was a little more tired, but still real. “It’s my job.” He got up, but only moved a few sets down, clearly it’d taken something out of him too.

Vilos replaced him, taking my arm in his hands. “I, unfortunately, cannot make the same promise as Corvin.”

Now I was the one taking a deep breath, bracing myself for what was to come.

Warmth swept through my arm, which wasn’t so bad. Only to be followed my pins and needles so bad I found myself blinking back tears. “Jesus goddamn sonnva bitch _fucker_ ,” escaped me before I could stop myself.

Ewan laughed, which I wasn’t taking too kindly too at the moment, and William looked surprised at my language. 

“This can be no trick,” Ewan took my free hand as he spoke, cutting of any sort of tart responses I might’ve given to their reactions. “This conference was sadly borne: they have the truth of this from Hero; they seem to pity the lady...” The pain didn’t fade away as I listened to him recite Benedick’s first soliloquy, but I found it became less important the longer he spoke. “...When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married. Here comes Beatrice. By this day, she’s a fair lady! I do spy some marks of love in her.”

I opened my mouth to give Beatrice’s line but Ewan cut me off with a glance, instead giving a brief nudge to William.

Who jumped at the touch, then turned a little pink. “Um, I’m sent to bid you to dinner?” Which wasn’t the line, but I wasn’t about to correct William.

Neither did Ewan, continuing as if William’s flub weren’t a big deal. “Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains.”

William chewed on his lip, brow furrowed as he tried to remember. I bit my own lip to try and hold back the sound of pain as Vilos continued. “I take...no more pains for those thanks, than you pain to thank me. If it had been painful I would not have come at all.”

“You take pleasure then in the message?”

If I weren’t in such pain I’d find this far funnier than it was, Ewan trying to lead William in this back and forth.

“Damnit,” William said softly to himself. “Ah, if you have no stomach signior, then fare you well. Crap, that’s not it.”

Ewan continued as if nothing were wrong. “Ha! ‘Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner.’ There’s a double meaning in that. ‘I took no more pains for those thanks than you took pains to thank me.’ That’s as much as to say, ‘Any pains that I take for you is as easy as thanks.’ If I do not take pity on her, I am a villain; if I do not love her, I am a liar. I will go get her picture.” With a small smile Ewan lifted the hand he was holding to his mouth, placing a kiss on my palm.

Only for the moment to be broken by Corvin applauding.

Ewan buried his face in my hair to cover up his bemused sigh.

“Fortuitous timing,” Vilos said. “How does it feel?” He asked as he let my arm go.

I poked at it a few times and moved it around. “Well it’s not numb anymore.” The mottled coloring was gone, but the actual place where the Drifter had grabbed me was still a off-white scar, the more I looked at it the more I found myself reminded of a vine or root. “Thank you, Vilos.”

He adjusted his glasses. “I’m sorry I could not do more, but you are nonetheless welcome. Give me a moment and I shall write passes for you all.”

Gratefully I turned and sagged against Ewan. Holding my scarred arm out I drew up my magic, focusing on what I wanted. “Hide,” I murmured as I drew a finger down my forearm. Golden light flashed and when it faded my arm looked like it used to.

“Still a little too thick,” Ewan said.

I stuck my tongue out at him.

“I wish I could do that,” William said, “It’d make my life easier in the summer.”

Ewan’s chin settled on the top of my head. “I thought you were ranked fifteen.”

I blinked, granted I didn’t know as much about Espers as I did other Cryptics, but I knew there was a scale, I hadn’t realized William was so high on it.

William ducked his head. “Yeah, but I haven’t learned to really use that part of my powers yet. Hard to find someone who can teach me.”

“If you came to the Murder, we could try to find you one,” Corvin offered helpfully. Only to yelp when Guess returned to tug on his scarf.

“Don’t poach my favorite student,” she told him tartly.

Vilos cleared his throat and handed us our passes. “Off with all of you.”

I didn’t mind the quiet as we headed to Lit. Mrs. Roberts took our passes without comment. I only just heard her telling us what story we were on, more distracted by the fact that Marc was glaring at me, had been since we’d entered the classroom.

I found myself rolling my eyes though as William and I took our seats. Already over whatever reason Marc might have for suddenly disliking me. Honestly I was more worried about the concerned looks Elliot and Danny were giving me, clearly I’d have some explaining to do at lunch. So long as we could get rid of James and Rayna.

What little of Lit we had left passed in a blur, the sound of the bell ringing making me jump. William managed to leave before I did, though I wasn’t all that bothered by it. I found myself shivering though as I zipped up my backpack, making me tug my sweater more firmly around me. Ewan was gone already too, which made me pout, his leather jacket would feel toasty warm about now.

I was a few steps away from my seat when I heard a rattle behind me. Narrowing my eyes I turned, just in time to see my desk go skidding a few feet away from William’s. My narrowed eyes turned into a true glare. “I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost,” I quoted before turning on my heel and marching out the door.

-

With a grateful sound I toed off my shoes when I stepped inside my house. I shivered a little at the cool wood, which didn’t exactly help with the general feeling of cold still lurking around me. I was chalking it up to remnants of my soul still healing, and whatever Vilos had done to heal my arm.

In the kitchen I set my bag on one of the bar stools and went about making myself coffee, which would warm my soul up right quick. Bartholomew made itself known from the top of the fridge, giving me the usual ‘welcome home’ greeting. It’s gaze looked at something behind me, and a few seconds later I heard the sound of my backpack hitting the floor.

A sigh left me, but I decided to leave it be for now, focusing on my coffee.

One cup of soul-satisfying coffee in my hands later, I finally went to pick up my backpack. Making an annoyed sound at the fact the fall had broken my zipper and everything’d spewed out. Though it was clear Bartholomew’d already gathered most of it from the neat piles everything was in. The brownie was no where to be found in the kitchen when I looked to thank him.

Gathering everything up I went to my room to work on homework.

Which consumed the next two hours of my life, with frustrating breaks to try and find pencils and occasionally my phone.

The fifth time I found my phone under my desk I chewed my bottom lip for a moment before opening it up and bringing up my texts. _Thanks for htis morning, and for putting up w/ Ewan’s distraction_ , I texted William. It was only polite after all.

Almost immediately typing bubbles appeared. _Welcome, glad you’re ok. Sorry I didn’t do Beatrice better._

I found myself smiling. _It’s fine. You got the spirit right_ I hit send, then realized the awful pun I’d made. _Sorry_ I didn’t think we were at that point in our friendship where I’d happily subject him to such things.

The laughing emoji was all I got in reply a second later.

Thankfully I didn’t have to hide my grin.

-

TUESDAY April 23

I almost slept in the next morning, only Bartholomew kept me from being late.

I did manage to find my phone, in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, right next to my toothbrush. Turning off the alarm I frowned at my phone. Had I been so tired I hadn’t realized I’d put it there and not my bedside? While I’d had trouble falling asleep Sunday, yesterday it’d felt like I’d fallen asleep easily; so maybe I had.

Either way I tucked my phone in my pocket as I headed downstairs. “There’s toast,” Spencer told me absently as he headed up.

Not my favorite, but I did only have about ten minutes before Ewan arrived. I poured myself some coffee and took a tentative sip, relieved to find it still mostly warm. Melted butter made the toast glitter, and I made a face, considering I’d’ve prefered jam.

I moved to pick up a slice, only for it, and the whole plate to get jerked away by Bartholomew. It upended the toast, sending the ‘glittering butter’ flying off. And my stomach twisted itself into knots as Bartholomew screeched at me that I’d almost eaten crushed _glass_.

I had the sense of mind to set my mug down on the counter before I nearly fell to the floor, doing my best not to fall into some sort of panic attack. “Spencer?” I called up, my voice sounding high and definitely panicking.

“Yeah?” He called back.

“How long was the toast there?” I couldn’t think of a _good_ way to ask who might’ve put glass in it. Because who the fuck asks that? Besides me apparently, if I couldn’t help myself.

Spencer clearly found the question odd from the fact he didn’t answer for a few seconds. “It was there when I woke up, after mom and dad’d left. Though mom might’ve made it for us, but I wanted eggs instead.”

Awesome, great, amazing. I took deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. “Thanks.” My brain decided to play out in vivid detail what would’ve happened if I’d eaten that toast and my thankfully _non-_ shredded stomach turned. 

Bartholomew toddled over to me. “I...you’re the best,” I settled on. Brownies tended to get pissy when you thanked them for doing their job, I definitely owed it though.

It patted my knee and promised it’d keep me safe.

Before I could respond I heard the familiar sound of Ewan’s bike coming down the street.

After the toast I was almost afraid to touch the coffee I’d set down, resigning myself to starving until lunch I raced upstairs to grab my things before rushing outside to meet Ewan. Who flipped his bug shield up to narrow his eyes at me as I climbed on. “Nora, what happened?”

I wrapped my arms around him tightly after putting on my helmet, he was warm and real and _here_. Leather and vanilla filled my nose as I breathed him in. “I’ll tell you at lunch,” I dodged. “It wasn’t as bad as the attack on Saturday, I promise.” Which was debatable, but at least this time I hadn’t been hurt.

Ewan didn’t say anything more, to my relief, and we headed off to school without any sort of incident, thank god.

So I felt mostly myself when we got inside and started heading towards our lockers. Mine was first, and as we reached the bank it was in I frowned, one of the locker doors’d been torn open and bent almost in half, the papers and books inside strewn everywhere on the ground and torn to shreds. Only for me to realize a few seconds later it was _my_ locker. “Oh god,” I moaned covering my face with my hands. “What the actual fuck.”

“Hey,” Ewan took my hands in his own. “It’ll be fine. This clearly wasn’t your fault.”

I swayed towards him, resting my forehead on his chest. “Still the rotten cherry on top of a shit sundae,” I replied.

He kissed the top of my head. “I’ll go get a broom, and you can get all your notes from everyone else, yeah?” He waited for me to nod before jogging off.

I let myself have a few more seconds of self pity before crouching down to start picking up the bigger pieces. The librarian, Mrs. Wyle, was not going to be very happy with me about the textbooks. Arms full I headed towards the nearest garbage can, since they definitely weren’t salvageable. 

I could’ve sworn I felt _something_ wrap around my ankles and _tug_ , sending me flying forward. Thankfully a warm pair of arms grabbed me before I could do a faceplant into the linoleum. 

“Well this is an unexpected turn of events,” Corvin sounded too pleased with himself.

A groan escaped me before I could stop it. I did finish with a “thank you,” however. “Today just hasn’t been my day.” He helped me upright, and I didn’t even fuss when he hovered for a few more seconds, as if I might go tumbling again. For all I knew I might.

“Are you alright?” He almost sounded nervous, toying with the edge of his scarf as he asked.

“Yeah,” I answered. “Like I said, hasn’t been my morning, but other than that I’m fine.”

Corvin stared over my shoulder for a few seconds. “No, I mean that’s good, but I was asking because…” He gave a little frown. “I’ve just never seen you with an Orai before, so I was wondering if something’d happened. I didn’t notice it the other day.”

His words caught me off guard. I had a general sense of what he did, and what Orai were, I’d just never known _I_ didn’t have any. Was it because of this morning? Or was it because of my crush on William? I guess I could ask him after lunch if it was still there or not. “I...I think I’m good, I’m dealing with it. Thank you, though, for telling me.” What I did know was his work wasn’t always easy, and I definitely didn’t want to make it harder for him.

“Hey, Corvin,” Ewan’s voice sounded behind me. 

“Ewan!” Corvin smiled. “Is that a new jacket?”

I turned just in time to see Ewan give a bemused shake of his head. “You know you don’t need to do that flattery crap with me, right?”

Corvin rolled his eyes. “It’s not ‘crap’ if I mean it.” His gaze traveled past us. “Damn, I’ve got to go talk to Vilos. Good luck with the cleanup!” He jogged away.

Finally I finished my trip to the garbage can to throw away what I was carrying. Turning to Ewan I mimed rolling up my sleeves. “Let’s get this over with.”

Ten minutes later we’d finished, and after a quick talk with the office staff, and Ally, I’d gotten my locker and textbooks all sorted out, though for today I’d have to bum off someone else.

William looked relieved, to my surprise, when I sat down next to him. “Corvin said something’d happened to you this morning.” Ah.

“My locker got trashed,” I answered. After the glass thing though I found it hardly bothered me. “No idea who, or why.” I could at least rule out Kayla, who’d pretty much settled on ignoring me after her rumor-mongering failed; a fact I could happily live with.

The bell rang as William frowned. “I hope they figure out who.”

I nodded. “I’ll need to read off your book today.” Which was honestly not the worst fate in the world. I was certainly going to be a little sad when we switched partners again.

He put his book between us, opening it up to where we were in _Rime of the Ancient Mariner_. Even slowly working through the last two parts and the questions Mrs. Roberts had for us, we still finished ahead of everyone else.

So I did my best to have a very quiet internal debate before giving in and asking. “Do you want to come to Solis court and have lunch with us today?” We were friends, so it wasn’t a weird thing to ask at all.

“I wouldn’t want to be a bother,” he answered.

“Trust me Will,” I said with a snort. “You can’t be any weirder than Brenna, you’ll do fine with us, ghosts or no.”

He turned a little pink. “O-okay.”

-

Over the past week or so, William’d grown more used to the empty feeling that came with stepping into the club room, or using his amulet.

The silence was still the most unsettling part, that he’d grown so used to the chorus, ha, of voices and thoughts from his Chorus, that to not have them felt wrong in a way. Yet here he still was, breaking his habits once again to go have lunch somewhere else. Because Nora asked him.

At the other door in the clubroom he gave the knock for Solis court, one he’d learned when he’d first started going to Stone Circle, but had never actually used. Opening the door and stepping through he was greeted by bright sunshine, and cheery voices. And _heat_.

Oregon summers had never been awful, it helped that his Chorus made the air around him cool, no matter the season—which actually made winter harder to bear than summer. So the first time he’d ever truly experienced anything remotely hot was the fire. This wasn’t as bad, but it was certainly inescapable. 

It was enough to make him want to shed his jacket and roll up his sleeves. The others around Nora, Solis court wasn’t _empty_ , but Nora was easy to find wherever William seemed to go, had certainly done so. Nora herself wore a tank top, seeming not to care about her newly made scar, though in Ewan’s lap she seemed pretty well hidden from the sun. William wished he could be that confident.

Nora spotted him and smiled almost as brightly as the sun overhead. “William! I’m glad you could make it.”

He couldn’t quite help but smile in response, she just had that effect on him. There was a surprising amount of food on the table, for three—no four, he realized as he spotted Brenna stretched out along the low stone wall a few feet away—people. “You didn’t have to get me anything,” he said as he hesitantly took a seat.

Their minds crowded around him, and he found himself comforted by the ‘sound,’ even as he sorted through them quickly to set them aside. Nora’s first, excited and nervous and hiding _something_ , but he didn’t pry. Ewan obviously next, worried and in love, and William skittered away from that with his own guilty thought. Dracen made William’s head hurt for a few seconds, a mishmash of English, French, and what had to be Russian—William recognized it from when he’d first taught Marc how to shield, the Vampire’s thoughts had always been in Russian, at least around William. Brenna was, amusingly, the easiest, her thoughts in a language William didn’t even _know_ , and with an alien tinge at that. 

“You’re welcome to it,” Nora’s voice pulled him back to now. “Ewan bought me extra because I didn’t have breakfast.” Nora gave a fond roll of her eyes before tilting her head up to give an equally fond smile to her boyfriend. Boyfriend, William repeated firmly to himself; Nora was happy and he should be grateful she was insistent on being friends, and stop hoping for more.

“Nobody likes being hangry,” Ewan responded reasonably.

“That doesn’t mean you have to smother her in food,” Brenna’s voice floated over to them.

Dracen reached out to swipe a few fries. “ _I_ think it’s sweet. William, you picked out your piece for the spring art show yet?”

“No,” William answered. Finding himself biting back a smile as Ewan reached across the table to jerk lightly on Dracen’s braid. “I’ve...I’ve been thinking I might not submit anything.” He did love doing art, considering it was one of the few personal activities he’d been allowed, but sharing it was something he’d sort of just...avoided.

“You and Nora both,” Dracen groused. “Leaving me high and dry.”

“I said I’d think about it,” Nora replied with a shrug. “I’ve had other stuff to worry about, and just picking an old piece doesn’t feel right.”

“Poor baby,” Brenna said condescendingly as she draped herself over Dracen’s back, grabbing a pastry from the swath of food.

“If all you’re going to be is in a snit, Brenna, then you can go.” Ewan’s voice was cold, and even William was a little terrified. Though he found himself wondering if he was the only one, because no one else seemed bothered.

Brenna rested her head atop Dracen’s. “But you brought us someone new,” she answered, brown eyes glittering. “Even if he doesn’t have his sycophants hanging around.”

It took William a moment to realize she was talking about _him._ “You can see them?” He perhaps asked it a little too loudly, and tried to hide his blush upon realizing it. This was why he found it harder to talk to people.

Her eyes narrowed. “And you know nothing, no wonder they control you so.”

“Brenna!” Nora’s voice was sharp. “Leave him alone.”

William sunk further into his shirt, because he couldn’t exactly argue that his Chorus _didn’t_ control him to an extent. It was just _easier_ ; he’d known them practically his whole life, after all. Getting rid of them would be a hassle, and opened the door for something worse to take their place. So dealing with them was the lesser evil.

Brenna bared her teeth at Nora and hissed, but still stormed off.

“Sorry about my aunt,” Ewan’s tone was dry. “Like most cats she thinks she’s better than everyone else.” Dracen sniggered.

“Aunt?” William blinked. “Cat?” Was that why she could see them? He’d certainly grown up with stories about cats and ghosts, though even growing up knowing Cryptics and the like were real, still didn’t mean that every bit of folklore and legend was real.

“It was a lot for me to take in at first, too,” Nora said kindly. “You get used to how weird faeries are pretty quickly though.”

“I,” Ewan declared. “Am not weird.”

Nora gave William a bemused look, before reaching up behind her and haphazardly patting Ewan’s cheek. “Just keep telling yourself that, honey.”

Ewan sputtered, and despite knowing how angry his Chorus was going to be, William found he couldn’t regret coming here. They were just so...bright and confident, it was a little like the time he’d met Marc for the first time. Actually any conversation he had with Marc, really, though Marc being as reserved as he was had never truly angered William’s Chorus.

“On the note of faeries being weird,” Nora continued. “The next time your dad bakes, Ewan, can you snag some of it for me?”

“That’s not worrying at all,” Ewan replied.

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not for _me_. It’s for Bartholomew, it really saved my ass this morning and I thought it deserved something nicer than store-bought cookies.” 

Ewan bent down. “Is this the part where you finally tell me what happened this morning?” He murmured into her hair.

William made himself look away, feeling like he was intruding on something too private. His attention fell on Dracen, who seemed to have no problem at all watching Nora and Ewan, his own concern at whatever the two of them were talking about clear.

Nora’s sigh drew William back to her. “I don’t know how it happened, but there was toast on the counter, and when I reached for it to eat it, Bartholomew stopped me because,” she shivered and Ewan wrapped his arms around her. “It turned out what I thought was butter on the toast was actually ground up glass.” She tried laughing it off, but even to William it sounded hollow and false.

Not that William thought too much on it, because a sneaking sort of dread was creeping up on him. God, they wouldn’t…

It wasn’t hard to see that Ewan clung a little tighter to Nora at her words. “Cromm Dubh bless that little brownie. Fuck, you’re not allowed to die, Nora.”

Another hollow laugh from her. “I’ll do my best.”

Feeling cold, William shoved the rest of his food into his lunchbox. “I’ve...I’ve got to go.” They scared people off, sure, but they’d never tried to _kill_ anyone, not since he was a kid. They, they wouldn’t.

He could hear Nora calling after him as he ran back towards the clubroom and his Chorus waiting for him beyond.

-

Ally had mentioned wanting to talk to me about something after school, so Ewan and I made ourselves comfortable in the clubroom to wait for her. I hadn’t protested when he said he was coming too; I think he needed to reassure himself I was still fine, and I could live with that.

I heard the door open and looked up from my phone, a little surprised to see Marc in the doorway. His usual icy expression turned into a glower when he spotted me. “Good,” his tone was clipped as he marched right up to us. Crossing his arms he stared down at me. “You need to leave William alone.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Thankfully Ewan let me stand. Which didn’t change the fact Marc was taller than me, but I felt better about it. “I didn’t realize you were the boss of him now.”

“I’m not,” Marc growled. “But you’re causing trouble for him, Lewis, and he’s too nice to say anything about it. So I might as well be the one to do it.”

My hands curled into fists, though I managed to restrain myself from hitting him, as satisfying as that might be. “No, you might _not_ as well be,” I snapped back. “No one gets to dictate William’s life but him.” My anger at least covered up any hesitation in my voice as I recalled Brenna’s words from lunch. I couldn’t even really rationalize that his Chorus was part of him. “So you can go fuck off, Marc. If you really gave a damn about William then you’re fucking shitty about showing it.”

A wordless snarl left him and he closed the gap between us, clearly trying to scare me off.

Before my anger got the better of me and actually made me punch his fucking face, Ewan’s arm wrapped around my waist as he joined us. “Step off now, Marc, before you do something everyone’ll regret,” that he sounded so calm and in control wasn’t a surprise. “You might be a predator, but don’t trick yourself into believing you’re an apex one. So walk away now, or I’ll show you how scary faeries _really_ are.”

Marc snarled again, as if Ewan entering the fray wasn’t enough to dissuade him from a confrontation. After a few seconds his snarl turned into a sneer. “Fine, but don’t go crying to me when it only gets worse from here.” He turned on his heel and stormed out.

I sagged against Ewan. “Thank you,” I said. Maybe once I wasn’t feeling so drained I’d tease him mercilessly about the ‘scary faerie’ quip, but for now all I could do was sort of exist. “I could’ve handled it, though.”

He bent down and kissed the top of my head. “Pretty sure that being partners means you don’t have to do it alone, unless you want to.”

Turning around in the circle of his arms, I buried my face in his chest. “I love you,” Despite all the recent chaos and my own conflicted feelings about William, I at least still knew that.

“Love you, too,” he replied.

The clubroom door opened again, and Ally walked in—thankfully—looking a little sheepish when she saw us. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

We both shook our heads, nothing important at least.

“Good,” Ally nodded before collapsing into one of the chairs. “So, I guess before I give my little spiel, either of you know what crawled into Marc’s ass and died? He definitely was more ‘grrr, arg’ than usual just now on the stairs.”

The huff of laughter that left me was welcome. “Me, apparently,” I answered. “He got up in my face about leaving William alone, and I was definitely going to throw hands.” Anger tried to rise up in me but I did my best to ignore it, not wanting to waste more energy on Marc and his ‘opinions’ than I already had.

Ally looked as confused as I’d initially been. “Would _not_ have called that one, huh. Anyways, spiel time, and be glad I’ve gotten it down pat on everyone else.”

“It probably would’ve been easier if you just called everyone into the clubroom at once and done it,” Ewan said reasonably. “Although shouldn’t this be something Corvin does?” I let him tug me back down into his lap on the couch.

Ally flipped him off. “Too late,” she said cheerfully. “Anyways, Corvin doesn’t work for the Agency, and I do, so yay.” She clapped her hands together. “Alright, so, basically it boils down to don’t go out alone, especially at night, and especially in the woods. We think there might be Drudge running around, and it’s only going to get more powerful the closer we get to Walpurgisnacht and Beltane.”

“Drudge?” I didn’t know that one.

“Uh, quasi-sentient underlings created by Ancients to do their biddings,” Ally answered. Which I understood only a little better.

Ewan made a sound. “I hadn’t realized Pine Hollow had a God sleeping here.” 

Oh. That one was still taking me a little while to get used to, that the gods I’d read about in plays and stories were _real,_ even if most of them were ‘asleep’ these days.

“Slaughter, if you want to get technically,” Ally said with a shrug. “Anyways ever since it got sealed away by a wizard about a hundred years ago it’s been very cranky about it and trying to get out, there are usually Sentinels that keep watch, but it turns out they were killed by whatever else it is killing ghosts, probably some time before Easter. Once the holidays are over the Drudge should die off as the Ancient gets weaker, but until then it’s not safe.”

“Couldn’t someone seal it away again?” I asked.

Ally shook her head. “I mean yes, but it’d take someone with a lot of power to do it, we are talking about a God here.”

“Corvin? Or one of his brothers?” Granted I didn’t actually know how powerful any of them were, but they solved people’s problems for a living, this seemed right up their alley.

“I’m not sure I’d want to know what they’d charge for sealing a God away, and they _would_ charge, Agency or not. Not to be rude, but they don’t exactly do things out of the goodness of their heart, at least not _pro bono_.”

Right. “Thanks for letting us know. I guess that means no more dates out in the wild.” I tilted my head up to look at Ewan.

“We’ll survive. Speaking of, I should get you home, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

-

WEDNESDAY April 24

The next morning started out with no murder attempts, or sleeping in. All of which made it a win in my book. Even the ride to school with Ewan was normal.

Although things started to become less great after Lit started, and I realized that not only was William sitting as far away from me as possible, but the air around us was even colder than usual. “William?” I asked hesitantly as Mrs. Roberts gave us a brief rundown of Poe.

He only looked straight ahead at the whiteboard. “We should focus on class,” he replied.

My chest ached as I did just that.

William wasn’t at his usual table as I joined Danny and Elliot for lunch. And during Art William brushed me off with an “I’m busy.”

As I tried to focus on my own sketchbook and my supposed drawing of a vase of flowers, my mind wandered to why he could be avoiding me. Had Marc been right, and William was making it known that he wanted me to leave him alone? Then why not just _tell_ me that instead of trying to physically ghost me? I bit back a wild giggle at the awful pun.

Had it been Brenna’s words yesterday? Because if that was the case, I was going to get Elliot to help me force her to apologize.

I couldn’t think of anything else it might be, unless it was something personal and he wasn’t going to tell me. Which was fair, but a ‘I need some space so I can deal with something,’ would have been nice if that was the case.

I resolved to try and talk to him after class, but just as the bell rang William was up like a shot and out the door. Leaving me befuddled and hurt.

After school I couldn’t find him either.

Ewan must have noticed something was off, because he pulled me into a hug the second I got close enough. “You should come to work with me,” he offered, seemingly out of nowhere.

Leaning into him I let out a little laugh. “You just want to pull me into the walk-in so we can make out.”

“Is that so bad?” I tilted my head up to look at his face, laughing more as he waggled his eyebrows. His expression turned more serious. “You look like you need the distraction, and almost nothing’s more distracting than my dad.”

“Alright,” I said with a smile. Not really needing convincing, because he was right, a distraction _would_ be so very nice right now.

Faerie Forest wasn’t as busy as it’d been last Saturday, which seemed just right for me at the moment. I eagerly threw myself into learning how to make roses out of frosting, while Logan also tried to teach me more Scots Gaelic—Ewan was _much_ better than I was.

At around four thirty I realized I should be heading home if I wanted to make it there for dinner.

“Do you want me to take you?” Ewan asked as he followed me to the door.

I shook my head. “I should be fine on my own, it’s daylight and I’ll be walking down major streets until I get to Raven’s Glade. So I should be safe from that Drudge Ally warned us about.” It’d give me more time to think about William and what’d gone wrong as well.

“Alright,” he reached out and brushed my hair back. “See you in the morning then.”

Outside a breeze had picked up, which I was grateful for as I began walking home. I gave a wide berth to the bench I’d sat on last week that’d ended in disaster, reaching the nearby crosswalk I used my elbow to press the button.

I’d corner William tomorrow morning before Lit, I decided as I waited. Ask him outright what he wanted, and I’d deal with it like a mature person should no matter what answer he gave. Maybe I could invite Ally over on Friday for a girls night and let myself have a good cry as we watched sappy movies. The signal turned and I began to cross over towards the park.

I could only hope it wasn’t anything unforgivable I’d done. But maybe we just weren’t even meant to be friends, as depressing as I felt that was.

The air around me grew colder and I shivered, wishing I’d brought a sweater with me.

Blinking I looked around, realizing the world around me was dim and hazy. I let out a groan. Not again. Turning around I grew intent on marching back the way I’d come, which I hoped was the easiest way out of this ghost road.

Only for my path to be blocked by my old creepy friend. “Red,” it gargled at me. A hand like appendage moving to reach for me.

“Oh, fuck, no,” I snapped. Gathering my magic in a rush I lashed out with it, golden light filling the space between us and when it cleared the Drifter was a few feet away. It began to rush me though before I could do more than notice my magic had worked.

When the Drifter reached the halfway point I felt something even colder move past me, coalescing into a dark and feathery shape.

For a second I felt something chittering along the edges of my mind, then the feathery shape _moved_. 

All I did was _blink_ and the shape’s arm was in the Drifter’s chest. A shocked sound left me as the Drifter just...burst apart.

The shape turned towards me, revealing a mask, feminine, white faced with too-red lips and what looked like golden teeth.

I ran as fast as I could towards the park, ears straining for any sound I was being followed. I was so focused on behind me, that I crashed into someone in front of me, the both of us tumbling to the ground. As I sat up, alI could feel was relief that I’d gotten away, and back into the real world.

“You really need to watch where you’re going, faerie girl.” Guess sat up as well, rubbing the back of her head. “For a small one you really pack a wallop.”

“Sorry,” I made a face. “I didn’t mean to, I just…” I burst into the story, barely even noticing when William arrived. “...so, I guess I found your ghost killer.” 

“You,” Guess pointed at me. “Are clearly not allowed to go anywhere alone, faerie girl, you keep ending up in trouble. Definitely getting you a minder for Christmas.”

I bit back my angry retort. “Trust me, I don’t mean to.” And except for Samhain I’d handled the rest of the overflows without any sort of mishaps, so of course it was just my luck that this was all happening.

“William.” We both jumped at Guess’s voice. “Get her back to that boyfriend, then come back here and we’ll see what we can find.”

To my surprise William opened his mouth as if he were going to _argue_. But Guess shot him a look and he quieted. “Come on,” he muttered, walking quickly towards downtown, forcing me to run after him to catch up.

Now that we were alone together all my earlier thoughts seemed more than happy to just up and vanish on me, any considered words or arguments I’d had concerning getting William to _talk_ to me drying up. I did try to compose something new in my head, but even that didn’t go all that well.

Faerie Forest appeared all too quickly. Before I could even think to thank William, he’d turned right back around, running back towards the park.

Well, fuck.


	6. Chapter 6

THURSDAY April 25

Any and all thoughts of talking to William fled out the window the moment Ewan and I stepped into the school.

It turned out my locker yesterday had just been a prelude. Because _all_ of the lockers had been fucked with this morning, a veritable sea of paper covered the floor, with islands and peninsulas of textbooks, and ‘boats’ of school supplies set adrift.

“Well, I don’t envy the office having to deal with this,” Ewan said as we carefully picked our way through the papers, trying not to damage them too much.

I didn’t envy them either, especially if students started complaining to their parents. Neither of us suggested going to each other's lockers, they were only just going to be the same as everyone else's, and I, at least, had all of my new textbooks and notes at home.

On our way to Lit, I spotted William crouched down by what had to be his locker, his focus on the papers he was picking up. “William!” I didn’t plan on confronting him here in the open, but I could let him know I really wanted to talk at least.

His head turned and he started, and before I could do anything more than take a few steps towards him he shot to his feet and ran off towards Lit, a glitter of green catching my eye as he turned a corner. I made to follow, but Ewan’s hand grabbed my arm and tugged me back. “Give him some space.”

Part of me wanted to laugh, getting advice about the guy I still technically had a crush on from my _boyfriend_. I listened to Ewan, though, because he was right. William had to be dealing with a lot right now, so letting him have some space, at least for a second, might be for the best.

We reached Lit a little before the bell, to find most of the students in about as much chaos as outside. Most of them gossiping about what’d happened.

“So,” Danny’s voice had a note of casual amusement. “Any suggestions on our newest mystery?”

I shook my head and Ewan snorted. Elliot yawned. “If it was a Drifter, they clearly hate schoolwork, and I approve,” he said.

The bell rang, cutting us all off.

“I know you’re all wondering about what happened in the halls, the principle will issue a statement at lunch, and the office staff will be doing their best to organize what the janitors collect to return to students. For now though I’m going to have to ask you to focus on your classes,” Mrs. Roberts said. “Before we begin on the Tell-Tale Heart however, we’re going to be switching partners again.”

I let out an internal groan, there went my best chance to talk with William in the morning, now I’d have to wait until Art.

“Nora,” I started as Mrs. Roberts said my name. “You’re going to be with Marc this time.” Excellent, awesome, the universe was definitely playing a joke on me.

Marc didn’t look happy about it either as we took a pair of seats. He glowered at me as Mrs. Roberts continued to pair people off. “See, this is exactly what I was talking about yesterday. You keep causing problems for William, and things are just going to get worse.”

Even as my mind whirled with the realization that yesterday and this morning might’ve been caused by William’s Chorus, I grabbed my book out of my backpack. Which provided excellent cover for flipping Marc off without Mrs. Roberts noticing.

“ _Idi v’banyu_ ,” he muttered.

I might not know what he said, but it clearly was meant to be insulting. And if we weren’t restricting ourselves to English… “ _Lan dhen cac_ , _duin do ghob_.” I at least managed to keep my wince over my awful pronunciation internal.

Marc smirked. “Need some work?”

I’d forgotten he could hear my thoughts like William could. “ _Toll-toine_ ,” I snapped, knowing I had the pronunciation of _that_ down.

-

Lunch came around, and while I usually spent Thursdays with Elliot and Danny, I’d made my excuses and headed up to the clubroom to be with Ewan. I knew Danny and Elliot would leave me be, but only after asking a million questions; Ewan and the others would just let me be from the get go.

Reaching the clubroom door I began to open it, only to stop when I heard voices through the slightly open door.

“...someone else is going to get hurt, you know that.” Guess sounded worried.

“I just, Nora makes me feel like I can be normal like everyone else. Is that so bad?” My throat tightened at the plaintive note in William’s voice. Part of me wanted to go to him and tell him, no, that wasn’t wrong, but I stayed where I was.

“When it involves forcing the Chorus that keeps you _safe_ away all the time with the amulet? Yes. You saw what they did this morning, and Nora herself told you they almost _killed_ her.”

My knuckles turned white on the doorknob. That’d been one of William’s Chorus? How could Guess say they kept William safe when I’d almost _died_? Granted, with me out of the picture William wouldn’t wear the amulet all the time, and they’d be able to keep everyone away again. As safe as a kid trapped in a bubble.

And what sort of life was that?

I shoved the door open, intent on giving Guess a piece of my mind in regards to what William deserved to have. They both stared at me for a moment, likely wondering how much I’d overheard.

Before I could even start my rant, William’s whole face just seemed to...shut down. He readjusted the backpack on his shoulder and headed towards me. I thought staying where I was would force him to stop, but he just...ran into me, sending me all but crashing into the wall. By the time I thought to follow after he was long gone, which might’ve been for the best. I wasn’t going to change my mind about William, but even I needed some time to think.

“Guess I really shouldn’t’ve expected different from a Faerie,” Guess almost sounded resigned. “Sticking your nose in other people’s business and creating merry chaos without a care for the aftermath.”

I found myself barring my teeth at her, then marching to the other door, all but pounding out the knock for Solis.

Ewan looked a little surprised when he saw me heading towards them, but he just opened his arms and held me close when I fell into them. Humming softly as I began to cry.

Somehow I managed to exist until Art, which I rushed to, in the hopes of catching William in a way he couldn’t really escape from.

I managed, finally, a bit of luck, in that he was already in the classroom. His eyes widened a little when he saw me, but I was determined. Setting my backpack down in my spot I walked over to him.

“Please, just let me talk before you say anything. If you want me to leave me alone, I’ll do it, William. But I don’t _want_ to do it. You’re allowed to have the life _you_ want, and not the life your Chorus dictates to you.” I didn’t think before reaching out to him and cupping his cheeks in my hands. “ _You’re_ the one with the power, William, not them. But I’ll do whatever you think is best, okay?”

I felt tears run over my hands, and I wanted so very badly to lean in and kiss them away, to hug him until he cried himself out, like Ewan had done to me. To share that kind of love with him. Although, perhaps not as much as I wanted his friendship.

“Nora…” He reached up to take my hands.

Though whatever he might’ve done next was lost in the fact that the room began to _shake_.

Fucking, _Chorus_.

William’s eyes widened again, and he ripped himself away from me, rushing out the door.

I followed, not caring the bell was going to ring soon. I needed to make sure William was alright more. I chased him to the stairs, managing to take them two at a time all the way up to the third floor landing.

William was only a few feet away, clearly intent on getting to the clubroom, but something behind me _grabbed_ me.

A scream left me as hands and appendages dragged me to the railing and unceremoniously tossed me over.

“NO!” William's voice followed me as I began to fall. Seeming to wrap around me and...stop me. All the other students still on the stairs looked at me agog as William’s powers gently lifted me back up towards him, gently setting me on the stairs.

“Nora! Are you okay?”

Now it was his hands on my face, gently moving over me as if to check for bumps and bruises.

I didn’t think, my body running too-high on all those chemicals that rush through you when you almost die, my body going haywire with the fact it was still alive and needed to do _something_.

So I kissed William.

His lips were a little chapped, but they opened with a surprised sound and I pressed my luck, sweeping my tongue in to tease his own. If this was the only kiss from him I was ever going to get, I wanted to make it count.

Hands and appendages grabbed me again, clearly not satisfied with being thwarted. This time William grabbed back.

“No.”

The world around us exploded. 

As the actual, literal, dust began to settle, I found myself spotting Marc up on the fourth floor, looking down on us, his expression hurt and betrayed.

He vanished, only for Vilos to take his place a minute later as the other students finally got a hold of themselves and began their own freakouts.

“What, in the name of all that’s holy, happened?”

-

A few minutes later we were in the clubroom, with Guess standing over us, Vilos having gone to do damage control.

“You should be lucky you didn’t destroy the stairwell as well!” Guess’ voice had a panicked edge to it as she berated us. “This is exactly what I meant William, you know how your Chorus gets, and yet you ignored them anyways.”

I found myself shooting to my feet, anger easily rushing in as I rushed to defend William. “He is _not_ to blame for his Chorus being assholes. William deserves to have a life outside of them, and if they can’t accept that maybe they should go.”

“Oh,” Guess crossed her arms. “And what if the next spirit that decides to attach itself to him is even worse?”

“He’s the one with the power,” I looked at William entreatingly, but he just sat on the couch, staring down at his hands. “ _He_ should get to decide whether they stay or not. Not them. You’re not going to warn me off so easily with a threat of danger, Guess, I faced down the Unseelie for Ewan and Spencer, I think I can face down a few possessive ghosts.”

Guess threw her hands up into the air. “Face down? What is this, a TV show? This is _reality_ , which despite your Samhain adventure isn’t always life and death! Teenagers. You’re acting like I’m saying you need to stay away _forever_ , when it’d only be another decade or two.”

“Please…” William’s voice broke through our argument, despite it’s softness. “Please don’t argue.” He hunched his shoulders as he stood, running off.

Unlike at lunch, I moved to follow him. “Oh no,” Guess grabbed my arm, hauling me back. “You’ve done enough damage for one day, literally. Stay here, I’ll deal with William.”

She was gone before I could argue.

-

 _Yobannoe dno_! Marc punched an already broken locker, barely feeling any sort of satisfaction at all as it buckled under his fist.

A giggle left him, _yobannoe dno_ , but that likely meant it couldn’t get _worse_.

He’d warned Nora about the Chorus, but she hadn’t listened and now William would pull away from _everyone_ , and Marc...and Marc…

Oh, who the fuck was he kidding? He sagged against a wall. He hated that Nora’d been brave enough to do what Marc had never dared.

Two years of watching, planning, of being oh so careful when it came to William and his Chorus, and yet she was the one who’d gotten closer to William than Marc ever had. It made Marc feel like a fucking fool over hesitating.

So he was fucking jealous, and he perhaps had no one to blame but himself. His own inexperience perhaps the only excuse, homeschooling didn’t cover relationships; especially when they involved Espers with possessive Choruses. So he’d wanted to be careful, to not let his own instincts and William’s ghosts get in the way.

And after two years he’d made no progress on the latter, and with the former he was pretty sure he genuinely liked William and didn’t just _want_ him. Which didn’t change that there was a part of Marc that still wanted to _keep_ William, like the Easter eggs uncle Afanasiy made for his parents, trotted out on special occasions and when they wanted to impress guests.

Marc banged his head back against the wall. Now there’d be nothing.

Now all he had was the image of Nora and William kissing in his head, playing on repeat because he clearly wanted to torture himself with it. Jealousy raged again, because _Marc_ had been the one who wanted William’s first kiss, to only breath in the scents of myrrh and lavender…

“Marc?”

William’s voice snapped Marc back into the world, and when he looked at the other boy and saw wide eyes and red cheeks Marc froze.

So things _could_ get worse than _yobannoe dno_ , Marc managed to keep himself from laughing as he slammed his mental walls back into place. Even as his brain panicked, instinct wanted him to go to William, graze his teeth against that blush of blood.

Marc did the opposite. Leaping to his feet, he ran away as fast as he could. 

-

Ewan burst into the club room, easily spotting Nora curled up in the corner of the couch, clearly trying to make herself even smaller than usual. He rushed over to her, scooping her up easily. “Are you okay?” He asked in a rush, grateful that she started clinging to _him_ , burying her face in the crook of his neck.

“Mmmfin,” she mumbled. She was quiet for a few moments, moments where Ewan just let himself feel relief and thank the gods she was alright, considering what he’d heard really happened. She pulled away some, and he looked down to meet her eyes. Not for long however, as hers darted away. “Can...can we talk somewhere else?”

“Yeah,” he answered easily. Still carrying her he went to the door, where he gave the Solis knock before opening it.

To his relief the court was empty, not that it mattered, since he took her all the way to the grassy patch in the back where no one really went anyways. Sitting cross-legged he settled her in his lap. “This good?”

Nora pulled away again, looking around before nodding. She chewed on her lip for a second, and he was very tempted to dip down and kiss her lower lip when she stopped. But she clearly wanted to talk, so he was going to be good and let her talk first.

“How much do you already know?” She finally asked, clearly hesitant.

He tugged her closer again, resting his chin on the top of her head. “You fell off the stairs, William managed to catch you before you got hurt, and then things went FUBAR.”

Her huff of laughter was a relief in and of itself. “It was...a bit more than that,” she admitted. “William’s ghosts...pushed me.” He tightened his grip, relaxing his hold when she made a sound of protest. “He caught me and...I was just so high on being _alive_ and not thinking about consequences…” Ewan couldn’t see it, but he knew Nora was biting her lip again. “I...kissed him. The ghosts got mad, and William sort of made the whole stairwell and hallway explode…” She turned her head to look up at him. “I’m sorry.”

“Okay,” Ewan said.

“You know, most boyfriends would be frothing mad if their girlfriend kissed someone else.” Nora sounded more like she was just pointing out a fact, though Ewan could hear the question behind it.

“I,” he said loftily. “Am not most boyfriends.” He grinned when she shoved at him, not budging an inch. “I get you think I should be jealous, but I’m not, really. I _am_ kind of mad you didn’t think to tell me you might like him, too. At least I hope you’re still in love with me?” He teased.

Nora shoved him again, and this time he went, barely feeling it when he hit the grass. Thankfully she soon crouched over him, blocking out the sun from his eyes. “I am, you ass. And I didn’t tell you because...I know we’re not anywhere close to ‘normal people,’ but it’s still not something most people admit. And _how_ are you so okay with this?” She sounded a little angry.

“Well after the Dracen incident…”

“It happens about every week now, Ewan, that’s not an incident,” Nora replied dryly.

He reached up to run a hand through her hair. “The _first_ time was an incident,” he argued half-heartedly. Considering it’d been the only time Dacen had ended up cuddling one or both of them _after_ they’d had sex, Ewan was pretty sure it counted as in incident. “Anyways, after that I...kind of talked to my dad, because...because I _was_ confused. Growing up, I never really saw my parents be jealous. Dad always seemed almost pleased when other people flirted with mom, and he never noticed when people flirted with him. Mom always had to tell him, and she’d jokingly give them grades.

“But when I started reading books, and I found out about jealousy, and I was confused about it then too,” he waved a hand to try and move forward with his own babbling. “Anyways anyways.” He grinned as Nora huffed at him again. “After Dracen, I talked to my dad about it. He said...Faeries aren’t always monogamous, and if they are it’s not usually in the same way humans are either. So jealousy...isn’t exactly a useful trait.” He shrugged. “So I guess that’s why I’m not exactly mad that you might like another guy. Do you want to...keep kissing him?” Alright, so that _was_ a little weird to ask. Because her cuddling with his best friend was one thing; but her kissing other guys, even if he wasn’t _jealous_ , wasn’t exactly anything he’d ever pictured once he’d started dating someone.

Nora blew a few strands of hair away from her face. “Yes,” she finally answered. “I mean I know everyone keeps away from him because of the Chorus, but he just always seems so miserable, and I want to help him be happy and I want to have him in my life and be in his and…” She drifted off, frowning. “I don’t think I can explain it better than that.

“His ghosts clearly don’t like me, and for some reason me kissing William pissed Marc off too.” Ewan frowned at that, but let Nora continue. “But even with all that, and Guess telling me to stay away.” _Now_ Ewan was a little mad about the whole thing. “I still think it’d be worth it, _I_ want to keep trying. If William’ll let me.” She collapsed onto him, and he wrapped his arms around her. “So this isn’t how I expected my day to go at all,” she gave a half-hearted laugh. “Um, if I did start...a relationship with him, would you start one too?”

Ewan bent to kiss the top of her head. “I...don’t know,” he answered honestly. He’d never really thought of William at all, because, awful as it was to say, he made himself easy to just _ignore_. So Ewan had ignored him, in favor of people like Dracen, and Nora, who pretty much _refused_ to be ignored. “I think...I’d have to get to know him first, before I could decide that. Though even if he wasn’t the best Beatrice, that was fun.” He tugged her up high enough that they could kiss.

“But I’m not egotistical, or selfish, enough to think I’m the only person who can make you happy, Nora,” he continued when he pulled away. “So whatever happens, so long as you’re happy, and we’re still an us in whatever way we want, then yes, I don’t care if you kiss other guys. Next time it happens, tell me.”

She gave a nod and bent down to give him another brief kiss. “You have to tell me too,” her cheeks pinkened. “If you find someone else you like.”

“Deal.” 

-

It was easy enough for Dracen to corner Marc after dinner, although his cousin clearly wasn’t happy about it. “Dracen,” it was actually kinda cute, Marc thinking he _scared_ Dracen.

“Marc,” he replied tartly. “I hope you’re not planning on causing _more_ problems for Nora, because she certainly has enough on her plate right now.” It’d been a little funny at first, now though, after the Stairwell Incident and what Ewan had told Dracen about it, well, not so funny.

“I’m sorry,” Marc sputtered. “I didn’t realize you’d become her boyfriend.”

“Fuck you,” Dracen replied lightly. With ease he pushed Marc, relishing the surprise on Marc’s face when he was moved. “She’s my _friend_ , and I’m allowed to care about her as much as I want, no dating or sex required.” Dracen still didn’t quite understand why everyone was so damn obsessed with sex. Afanasiy said Dracen’d probably understand when he was older, but Dracen wasn’t sure.

Marc harrumphed. “Probably for the best, since you unicorns are obsessed with purity.”

This time Dracen reached out and flicked Marc’s forehead. “Fuck you,” he repeated. “Anyways you know damn well purity and sex have nothing to do with each other.” He moved his hand down to poke at Marc’s chest. “You’ve got a nice knot of purity right in there, with those instincts you mostly ignore.” And it was always something of a struggle not to tease that out and just roll in it like a damn cat.

It was also perhaps not the nicest reason Alex had been Dracen’s favorite new cousin when he’d first moved into the Lowe household.

Thankfully Dracen had Ewan and Nora, who shone so bright he could ignore the desire to play with Marc’s instincts and urges. In fact Dracen could ignore quite a lot thanks to them. “So leave her the fuck alone, or you’ll find out why it’s a bad idea to piss a unicorn off.”

“Please,” Marc batted Dracen’s hand away, definitely clinging to what little snobbery he had left. “One of us is an actual predator, and the other is a horse.” Marc flashed his fangs, which again, was more cute than an actual _threat_.

Which meant Dracen could be as unimpressed as he liked. “You think drinking from people is the height of Bad Taste,” he shot back easily. “Also, you’ve clearly never been kicked by a horse.” Afanasiy had made sure Dracen knew where to make it hurt.

“Dracen,” and there was the dad himself, his booming voice filling the air as if he were in the room with them.

“Be there in a sec, dad!” Dracen shouted back. He managed to pat Marc’s cheek once before the Vampire batted his hand away again. “See you in school tomorrow!” He gave Marc a cheery grin before bounding away to catch up with his dads.

-

I was digging through my backpack, looking for my pencil case, when my fingers snagged against something at the bottom of the main pocket.

Curious, I pulled it out, blinking in shock and surprise when I realized it was William’s amulet. Setting it on the ground next to me I furiously dug through my bag, making a triumphant sound when I found a folded up piece of paper.

I unfolded it slowly, as if taking my time might change whatever message William had written me into something I wanted. Even if that wasn’t fair to him. Eventually though I’d opened it completely, leaving me with William’s actual words and not what I hoped.

_I’m sorry, wish we could have been different. I don’t need this anymore, but I know it’ll keep you safe._

The words on the paper began to blur, both from my eyes welling with tears, and the tears themselves smudging the ink. 

I wished we could have been different, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idi v’banyu (Russian) - got to hell, lit. go to the bathhouse  
> Lan dhen cac, duin do ghob (Scots Gaelic) - (you're) full of shit, shut your mouth  
> Toll-toine (Scots Gaelic) - asshole  
> Yobannoe dno (Russian) - rock bottom, lit. fucking bottom


	7. Chapter 7

FRIDAY April 26

I woke up with a start, half-asleep I desperately tried to return to the dream I was having. I only had half a memory of it, but William’d been there, smiling.

Grabbing a pillow I pulled it over my head, grumbling, not sure if I should be annoyed or not at being woken up from such a good dream. The sound of my own heartbeat filled my ears, but just over that I heard something _slither_.

I tore the pillow off of my head and sat upright, eyes adjusting quickly to the dark, and picking out a hulking shape that had no place in my room. Very carefully I reached out and, closing my eyes first, flicked on my bedside lamp

When I opened my eyes I saw my room, and where the hulking shape was...the Drifter that’d attacked me the other week. “Hi,” I spoke a little too loud, hoping I could wake Spencer up.

It didn’t reply. Now that I could actually _see_ it, I wondered if it _could_ reply; I certainly didn’t see a lower jawbone on the animal skull that seemed to make up it’s face. The vines that I would consider it’s ‘hair’ slithered together as if alive separately from the rest of it.

“So you do know the whole ‘watched you while you were sleeping’ thing isn’t actually sexy, right?” I inched myself across the bed, towards the bathroom door. “Though I’ve got to be honest, I’m not that into you.”

It moved with me, even getting closer; more of it’s...body stepping into the light. Revealing that it wasn’t exactly _solid_ , light shining _through_ it in more than a few places.

I was standing now, and it moved even closer, the skull-head tilting, as if confused. I wasn’t exactly going to question my luck that it hadn’t attacked again just yet. Though it was close enough that I could feel my scar throb.

“Spencer,” I called out a little louder. “Now’s not the time to start being a deep sleeper.” An idea flickered in my mind. “Bartholomew?” There was a question I was definitely going to ask when this was all over, why the hell had it let this thing _in_? “Now’s the time to wake Spencer up, please.” I was fairly powerful, but with Spencer helping, there’d be more than enough magic to drive this off.

I hoped.

The Drifter moved closer, and I bumped into the wall while I was backing up. I pressed harder against it for a moment, as if I might have suddenly gained the ability to phase through matter. No such luck.

My heart leapt when I finally heard the bathroom door on Spencer’s side open. “Hey, asshole.” I didn’t know why I bothered, the Drifter kept watching me, even as I began to move back towards my bed. If it’s back was to Spencer, maybe we could surprise it.

The bathroom door opened, and I could just barely see Spencer’s eyes widen through where the Drifter’s right shoulder should’ve been. I blinked and Bartholomew was there too, standing between me and the drifter, _finally_ saying how it wasn’t welcome here.

A sound like rattling bones and rustling leaves left the Drifter, and it lunged. It was almost on me by the time I’d even started gathering my magic, but even though I hadn’t created a barrier, it still _hit one_.

It hadn’t been Spencers, since I hadn’t heard him speak, which only left...I looked down at Bartholomew. The Brownie stood there, teeth barred and chittering a slew of insults at the Drifter.

I didn’t let myself think too much on it. “Get out!” I shoved my magic in an attack at the Drifter. But it only went sliding a few feet away.

On the other side of the Drifter, Spencer gave a shout. Swinging his old baseball bat—which glowed golden with magic—at it. It hit, but it barely seemed to do anything.

Below us I heard the sounds of movement, and my mind leapt into overdrive, because this was _not_ how I wanted our parents to find out about Cryptics. 

My eyes fell on William’s amulet, the gem seeming to be glowing. As if trying to attract my attention. As desperate as I was, I decided it was worth a chance. Diving across my bed I snatched it up, managing a fairly decent roll back onto my feet.

“Get out of my room!” This time my magic wasn’t just golden, but _green_ too. And when it hit the Drifter it _shrieked_ , I managed to keep hold of William’s amulet as I clapped my hands over my ears to muffle the sound. Just barely I could hear the sounds of breaking glass. And when I looked over to where the Drifter had been it was gone. Leaving a broken window in it’s wake.

A few seconds later the door burst open, the overhead light almost blinding me as dad flicked it on.

“Nora! Spencer! Are you alright?” Mom asked.

Spencer and I shared a brief glance. “We’re fine mom. There was a...bird in my room. Spencer was trying to help me scare it away.”

Dad frowned as he went over to the broken window. “That didn’t sound like any bird I’ve ever heard.”

“It was an owl of some kind,” Spencer chipped in. “They all sound like demons when they’re pissed off.” I bit the inside of my mouth to keep the hysteric giggle threatening to bubble up inside.

Thankfully our parents seemed to accept this. “Sorry we woke you,” I did my best to give a sheepish smile.

Mom brushed my hair back. “As long as you’re both alright. Shane, you and Spencer should get a tarp to cover the window.”

Dad nodded and Spencer followed him out, mom left too, only to return a few seconds later with a broom and dustpan. “You sit down, honey, be careful about glass.”

I didn’t bother to protest, sitting down on my bed and pulling my comforter around me. “Thank you,” I said as she began to gather up the glass.

“Of course, Nora.”

Dad and Spencer returned, and soon my floor was clear of glass and I had a temporary window, dad promising to call a friend of his to fix it up quickly. Mom and dad gave Spencer and I one last check over, as if to make doubly sure we were fine, then returned to their room.

“Thanks,” I sighed at Spencer.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Though clearly we need better wards.”

I nodded. “You can talk to Ally tomorrow about it. Or later today, I guess.” Considering my clock said it was 1 AM.

His cheeks pinkened. “You gonna be good?”

Another nod. “See you in the morning.”

Finally I was alone. Though I knew I wouldn’t be so for long. Grabbing my phone I sent a text to Ewan, _come over, plz._ April hadn’t been my month so far, and I’d be so very happy when it was over in a few days.

 _10 min_ , Ewan replied. I did feel a little bad for probably waking him up, but this time I didn’t want to hold off on telling him. And I’d sleep easier with him curled up next to me.

“Bartholomew,” I whispered.

The Brownie appeared from my closet. Expressing it’s own relief I was fine.

“You’re definitely the best Brownie,” I told it. At this rate I’d owe it a whole dozen of Logan’s faerie cupcakes or something. “Can you help Ewan sneak in?”

It brightened and gave a chirping assent, somehow slipping through my closed door a few seconds later.

I turned off my bedside lamp, gently putting the amulet under it. I guess I owed William too, because without it who knows what would’ve happened. Though I definitely wasn’t giving him Logan’s baking.

A few minutes later I heard soft footsteps on the stairs, my door opening shortly after.

“Cromm’s bones,” Ewan said as he stepped into my room, closing the door behind him. “What happened, Nora?”

I told him as he shrugged off his clothes, folding them neatly on top of his backpack. He turned off the overhead light and I crawled more firmly under my covers as he joined me in the bed. “...so I realized with no window I clearly needed someone to keep me warm, who better than you?” My smile probably wasn’t as joking as I wanted it to be.

Ewan snorted softly as he pulled me up for a kiss. “Definitely the only reason,” he agreed when we broke apart. I could feel his hands roam over my body gently, not to arouse, just a more intimate version of the same check my parents had made. “Anu’s tits, why is this happening to you?” His check done, his hands pulled me flush against him, settling on my back.

“If I knew I’d tell you,” I murmured into his chest. “Thanks.”

“Not a problem. Night.” 

I’d been right, with Ewan I slept much better than I would have alone.

-

My alarm went off, groaning softly, I buried my face into Ewan’s chest. The bed shifted and a few seconds later the alarm cut off. “I know you have to tell Vilos what happened, but I’m also all for skipping school and staying in bed. This is nice.”

I couldn’t argue that. And it was strange to think that one day this might be how I always woke up. With a wild sort of hope that William might be there too, though in that case I’d definitely need a bigger bed. As much as I wanted to stay, I pushed myself away from Ewan. “I need to get up,” I didn’t know if I was saying that to him, or myself.

He let me go, though seemed content to sprawl in my bed while I got ready, his eyes following me everywhere. It felt even more intimate than sex did, but I didn’t _dislike_ the feeling.

I sat on the bed to tug my boots on. He sat up as well, wrapping his arms around me and giving me a long, lingering kiss. When we parted I found myself seriously considering undressing and crawling back into bed with him.

Focus on something else, that’s what I needed to do. “Do you want me to try and sneak something up for you for breakfast?” Mom and dad would have _far_ too many questions if he came down. They liked Ewan, but I’m pretty sure neither wanted to know he could sneak in without them knowing.

“Nah,” he kissed me again. “I can go to The Murder while you’re talking to Vilos and get something.”

“I thought your mom would disown you if you did that?” I teased.

He rolled his eyes. “Only if she catches me eating Aiah’s pastries.” He tweaked my nose. “For that I’m not sure I’m gonna get you coffee too.”

“Noooo,” my protest was ruined by my laughter. “Don’t you dare deprive me of coffee, Ewan.” I pulled him close and was the one to start the kiss this time, definitely trying to sway him back to my side.

“Nora!” Mom’s voice called from downstairs. “Come have breakfast or you’re going to be late for school!”

“Go,” Ewan gave me a little push. “I’ll be quiet as a churchmouse, and you can help me sneak out the back. You’ll have to get a ride to school from Spencer today, though. Bringing my bike would’ve been too loud.”

Reluctantly I pulled myself away. “Probably for the best, since Vilos’ll want to hear from him too. How’ll you get to school?”

“Can get in with Elliot and Danny,” he answered easily.

Right, Elliot had his magic school door, which I hadn’t ever taken advantage of myself. Grabbing my backpack I headed downstairs.

Breakfast felt like it went at a snail’s pace, likely not helped with me counting down every second until my parents finally drove off. Spencer made a face when Ewan came down the stairs. “Really?”

I stuck my tongue out at him. “As if you wouldn’t try to do the same with Ally,” I shot back. 

Spencer rolled his eyes and started to head for the front door. “Wait please,” I said sweetly. “I’m riding with you today!”

His response was a groaning sound of agreement.

Ewan and I went out the back, and I almost yelped when Danny’s head appeared over the fence. “Hey, oh hi to you too, Ewan. You okay, Nora? Things were kind of...loud last night.” His cheeks turned pink.

Ewan laughed, and I slapped his arm. “Not funny.” Danny thinking he accidently overheard us having sex was _not_ funny. “I’m fine, Danny, it was that Drifter again, not Ewan getting freaky.”

“Hey!” Now I was the one laughing at the mild outrage on Ewan’s face.

“Oh,” Danny looked relieved. “Good, I mean _not_ good, but…”

“I get it,” I said.

“Help me over, Danny,” Ewan grabbed a lawn chair and climbing onto it began to haul himself over the fence. “Couldn’t bring my bike, so I'm going with you and Elliot.”

“See you both soon,” I waved to them and raced around the house to get into Spencer’s car. “Thanks!”

He only rolled his eyes and we drove off.

Which thankfully didn’t stop him from following me upstairs to talk to Vilos. 

Vilos looked up from his desk at the library, frowning slightly at the both of us. “I hope it is something good you’ve brought this time.”

“No, sorry,” I gave him a pained smile. “I got attacked by the drifter again early this morning.”

His frown deepened. “Let me get Guess, and William.”

I knew it made sense, but I also didn’t actually have to _like_ it. So Spencer and I sat down, and since we’d actually gotten a good _look_ at the Drifter this time, I pulled out my sketchbook, starting on the rough design while we waited.

“Oh,” Guess’ voice sounded right behind me and I jumped in my seat, craning around to see her looking over my shoulder, William hovering a few steps behind. “Well then, that sorts it.”

“What?” I frowned looking back down at my picture, which felt a pale imitation of what I’d actually seen. But I didn’t think any amount of talent would actually convey the whole of it.

“That’s...not a Drifter, that’s the Drudge.”

Spencer and I shared a look, then launched into the story before Vilos could even prompt us.

“So why’s this happening to me?” Which sounded a lot like whining, but I felt I was allowed at least a little of that.

Guess narrowed her eyes. “Well, you _have_ been spending a lot of time around William, and Espers of his power are basically catnip to spirits.” William ducked his head.

Vilos cleared his throat. “It may have also tried to get you because your soul is...looser than most others.”

I bit back the urge to snip about moral judgements. It helped that I caught his meaning fairly quickly, strained laughter leaving me as I covered my face with my sketchbook. “Cromm fucking Dubh,” it felt right cursing a Faerie god considering. “Fucking Fae, still having a laugh even six months later.” At this point I wasn’t sure I even wanted to know how long it’d take for my soul to firmly plant itself back in this body.

Thankfully Vilos just nodded gravely. “Indeed. It’s clear we’ll need to keep a closer eye on this than before. Perhaps Miss Fisher and Miss Lawrence can stop by your house again and rework the wards to make them stronger, at least until after Beltane, when the Drudge should die off on it’s own.”

Five more days, I could do that. Putting my sketchbook away I headed towards the clubroom, hoping Ewan was on the other side with coffee.

“Nora,” I heard William jog over to catch up with me. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, so now that you want to talk to me, we can do that?” I snipped, Faerie cruelty at it’s finest. “I thought you were avoiding me, which apparently is the right play, considering.”

Hurt flashed across his face, and I could’ve sworn he blinked back tears. “Fine,” he rasped. Rushing out the door.

My chest ached and I wrapped my arms around myself. Great, Nora, I chided myself. Real fucking mature.

I grabbed the door, stepping into the clubroom just in time to see him step through the door to the school. “William, wait!”

He froze on the other side of the door, at first I thought in response to me. Then he swayed and a thin, reedy sound escaped him. 

Danny leapt up from the couch and put his hand on William’s shoulder. “William?”

William turned around, eyes wide and he looked almost like he was going to throw up. He opened his mouth and the reedy sound started to turn into an actual scream. Danny yanked him back into the club before anyone in the school might hear him. “Get Guess.”

Eilliot ran to the library, and soon came back with Guess and Vilos, who pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yes?”

“I think William saw something out there,” Danny said. “Come on buddy, let’s get you sitting down,” William didn’t fight when Danny guided him over to a chair.

“You alright?” Ewan came over to me as Guess went out of the room. Elliot followed after her, though I didn’t think he’d actually be that much help.

I nodded. “Remind me to apologize to William, though.” I wasn’t going to let that be the last thing I ever said to him, not when I already regretted it so very much.

“Yeah. You want that coffee?” I almost laughed at how strange that question sounded considering what was going on. I nodded instead, grateful for the warmth that filled my hands when I held the to-go cup. I didn’t even complain when Ewan just stood behind me, it did the both of us good.

Guess returned, looking ashen. “His Chorus is gone.”

“What?” Even Danny looked shocked at that.

Perhaps it wasn’t the nicest thing, but a part of me _was_ happy about it.

“Whatever’s been killing off the other ghosts got to them, from the looks of it. Doesn’t surprise me Will’s in shock.” She went over to a cabinet and pulled a blanket out from it, draping it over William. She said something quietly to Danny, who jogged to the door, gave the Solis knock, then went through.

Vilos looked graver than usual. “Then I think the only option available to us is that he and Nora stay here until this is all over.”

“What?!” I winced at how loud I sounded. “Here?” I took a deep swig of my coffee, an insult to Merle’s craft, but I needed all the caffeine I could get right now. 

“Yes, here,” Vilos answered dryly. “The wards here are far stronger than anywhere outside The Murder, and should be more than enough to keep the Druge away from the both of you. I'm sure Miss Fisher would be more than happy to help provide a cover story for you, at least concerning the weekend.”

I groaned, leaning back against Ewan, who wrapped his arms around me.

“Give you plenty of time to talk,” he murmured into my hair.

I groaned again. Because he was right, but well, even after kissing him, William might not know about my feelings, and confessing to him just felt...well, it felt like A Lot. Especially after everything that just happened.

“Nora,” Guess’ broke our little world. “A word, please.”

Ewan let me go and I followed her to a corner. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Danny return, another bag from The Murder in his hands.

“Since you’re going to be with William for the foreseeable future, I’m just gonna tell you this: _be nice_. You don’t know what he’s going through right now, and I _definitely_ don’t want you to make it worse.”

I gritted my teeth, understanding where she was coming from, but still not liking it. “I care about William, you don’t need to remind me,” I finally replied, which was likely about as tactful as I was going to get.

Guess narrowed her eyes, and before I could stop myself, I continued. “Look, I’m _not_ going to pretend to be sad about his Chorus, I get they were important to him. But it’s been pretty clear these past few weeks they clearly thought he was living for _them_ and not himself, and if this is a chance for him to learn that he has the right to live for himself and be _happy_ then it’s about damn time.

“And if he draws a new Chorus to himself, well now he’s old enough to know about healthy boundaries and saying _no_.” My shoulders sagged and I could feel an ache in my neck from where I’d been straining it.

Guess didn’t say anything for a long moment, her dark eyes assessing me. “You’re in love with him,” she at least managed to make it _not_ sound like an accusation.

I wished I could cross my arms, but that would’ve required me to set down my coffee. “Yes,” I didn’t see a reason to lie about it.

“You’re dating Ewan,” which _did_ sound a bit like an accusation. She crossed her arms.

“I am,” I agreed. “Because I love him too. Falling in love with William wasn’t something I intended to do, but that doesn’t change how I feel about Ewan. And I’m _not_ going to push William about it. If he only wants to be friends, I can do that. My feelings won’t change that, I can love him and still be only friends with him. I’m friends with Danny and Elliot, and no one’s freaking out over that.” Granted I only thought of them as _friends_. 

Another long moment where Guess didn’t say anything, and I sipped my coffee almost nervously, bracing myself for whatever she might say next. Only for her to sigh and pinch her nose in a very Vilos-like fashion. “Fucking teenagers.” She walked off towards the library.

I took another drink of coffee to help compose myself, then turned around.

William was still in his chair, and to my surprise Marc was kneeling there next to him. Holding William’s hands in his own and talking softly. It was so out of the norm for Marc that I could only stare at them, agog.

“Nora?” Ewan’s voice broke me from my staring, which was likely for the best.

“Sorry,” I turned to him and didn’t try to muster a smile, I wasn’t sure I could at the moment. 

His gaze traveled to where mine had been, and he raised his eyebrows. “Huh. Anyways, I’ve got to go to class. I’ll be back for lunch, and after school.” He bent down and gave me a kiss. “You’ll be fine?”

“Yeah,” I answered. I gave him a peck back. “I think I’ll recover from the whole William thing before I recover from the image of Marc being _nice_.” I tried to keep my voice low, knowing Marc might overhear otherwise. I couldn’t really do the same for my thoughts, on the other hand.

Ewan snorted. “It’s been known to happen.” he looked at the two of them again. “Faerie might not get jealous, but I’m pretty sure someone could make the argument that Vampires invented the word.”

With that he went over to them, and I could hear him talk to Marc, but I was too lost in my own thoughts to try and parse what they might be saying. A minute or so later though, William and I were alone.

Carefully I went over to the couch across from him and sat down. I chewed my bottom lip. “William?”

He looked up at me, but I didn’t know if he was actually seeing and _hearing_ me. If he wasn’t, well, I’d just apologize to him again when he _was_. “I’m sorry, about this morning. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”

After what had to be the longest few seconds ever he gave a slow nod. “Alright,” his voice sounded hoarser than usual.

I finished my coffee to keep from saying anything more. He had the right not to forgive me, and I had to prove, at least to myself, that I was better than his Chorus had been, and accept whatever he decided to do.

“I’m sorry too,” William’s voice made me jump.

“Huh?” I stared at him, trying to rack my brain for anything _he’d_ need to apologize for.

“For yesterday, and for the Drudge.”

Again I did things before I could think to stop myself. This time it was going over to William, taking up almost the exact same position as Marc had. “No,” I told him firmly. “You can’t apologize for your Chorus, I’m pretty sure they felt not an ounce of guilt when they tried to kill me, and if they were still around they would’ve done it again.”

William tore his gaze from mine, an unhappy, but accepting, expression on his face.

“And I’m also not going to accept your apology about the Drudge, because neither of us could’ve known that would happen. Honestly, even if I did know, I still would have wanted to hang out with you William, I want to be your _friend_.” I made myself stop there, because it certainly didn’t feel at all like the right time to confess my feelings. “And I’m willing to accept the risks of that.”

William’s smile was hesitant, and I felt his hands turn in my own, squeezing lightly. “Okay.”

“Good.” I smiled back.

-

It was certainly a weird experience, to be at school, but not _at_ school. And to my surprise, once lunch rolled around _everyone_ showed up. The club felt almost too full with ten people trying to fit together on the couch and chairs. Dracen and Ewan had squished me between them, with Elliot somehow managing to fit himself in what little couch was left. Marc had managed to claim the other wingback chair for himself, forcing everyone to sit on the ground around the table. I found I liked it though, being surrounded by all my friends—well mostly friends, since I wasn’t sure how I felt about Marc.

“I can stay until tomorrow morning,” Ewan told me between bites of his sandwich. “I promised mom I’d help with a catering thing.”

“That’s fine,” I told him. Not at all bothered. “I’m not expecting you to keep me company _all_ the time.”

He grinned briefly at me.

“I can tag in for him,” Dracen told me loftily. “But only until Saturday night, I have to get up early Sunday morning for Easter, kind of regretting telling my dad I’d go to church this year.”

Spencer clearly had to have been listening in on our conversation—rude—because he frowned. “Easter was last Sunday,” he pointed out. Ally reached across the table and poked him in the cheek. “Ow.”

Dracen waved a hand. “Orthadox, not Roman. Different calendars because Orthadox likes being Like That.”

“You really don’t have to,” I told him. “I _can_ entertain myself.” Not that I wouldn’t mind the company, but I felt it needed to be said. “And the club should keep me safe enough.”

“I know,” Dracen rested his chin on my shoulder for a moment. “Going to anyways. Otherwise Ewan’ll be insufferable.”

I felt Ewan reach behind me to yank on Dracen’s braid. “You’re a horrible friend, throwing me under the bus like that.”

Elliot sniggered from Dracen’s other side. At least until Ewan continued to reach, managing to twist Elliot’s ear. “Hey!”

“You all keep this up and I’m leaving you all for...Ally,” I sniffed.

Ally laughed. “Not sure I can handle _two_ Lewises?”

“Lewisi?” Corvin offered.

“Don’t say anything, Spencer,” Danny advised. “Just gonna dig yourself a hole.”

Spencer stuck his tongue out.

In his chair, Marc looked like he was wondering what he’d gotten himself into. While William actually had something like a smile on his face.

His gaze caught mine, and I couldn’t help but smile a little right back.


	8. Chapter 8

SATURDAY April 27

After some shenanigans on Spencer’s end—which he refused to elaborate on when Elliot mentioned it—I did finally manage to get some clothes, as well as my laptop and Spencer’s hard drive of movies; and William’s amulet, though I didn’t think I’d need it anymore.

So Friday night had involved Cuban—Ally said it was her treat—and binging Marvel movies after William admitted he’d never seen any of them.

As promised, Ewan left Saturday morning, only to be replaced by Dracen. Who insisted on Ghibli and old Disney movies, which sparked a whole art debate between him, me, and William. 

Who probably wasn’t as over the death of his Chorus as he was putting on, but I could still tell he was doing better. Which I was going to take as a good sign. At least on the topic of art he seemed almost more passionate than I recalled him being before.

I still hadn’t worked up the courage to talk to him, at least on anything more serious than art, but I had days left still. So I didn’t feel in any rush, though I also knew sooner would be better than later. Tonight, I resolved, when we’d actually be _alone_ for a length of time. 

A time that was growing closer and closer, what with Marc, and for some reason Corvin, having appeared with dinner.

“Someone has to drive Dracen home,” Marc said almost gruffly when I stared at him.

“Kaya tossed me out when Marc arrived to get food,” Crovin told me cheerily as he sat on the couch next to me. “I think she was tired of cleaning up after me.” No surprise there.

Still I wouldn’t say no to the company, or at least someone else to act as a sort of buffer between me and Marc, though since William’d almost destroyed half a floor Marc hadn’t been as bad. I eyed him now as William shuffled over, accepting the two sandwiches Marc shoved at him, without looking at Marc. “Thanks.”

Marc looked away and I could’ve sworn he was _blushing_. “You’re welcome.”

I blinked. Tearing my eyes away from them I looked at Dracen, who looked like he’d perhaps just figured out the same thing I had. Although he seemed less surprised by it. He turned to look at me, and grinned as I mouthed: “Oh my god.”

No wonder Marc’d been so awful recently.

He liked William too.

“Nora?”

I yelped, then did my best to hide my embarrassed face at Corvin’s confused expression. “Sorry, was lost in thought.” Thoughts which thankfully neither William or Marc had seemed to overhear. Though clearly William already knew to some extent, if the way he was acting was any indication. I took the sandwich Corvin was offering and tore into it, grateful to have something else to focus on.

Halfway through dinner, Marc tilted his head, frowning slightly. “Does anyone else hear that?”

We all fell quiet.

For a few seconds there was only silence, only for it to be broken by a strange skittering sound.

“Skittering?” I managed to whisper. I wasn’t exactly relieved when he nodded.

It soon began to grow louder, the sound moving from skittering to a sort of dry rustling. None of us dared speak, as if remaining quiet was all that was keeping us safe. If it was the Drudge, Vilos had promised it couldn’t get past the wards in place around the clubroom.

The rustling turned to scraping, the sound erratic enough that my heart raced each time I heard it. 

The scraping sound grew louder and more frantic, like someone trying to get out of a box.

Slithering joined the scraping.

Silvery-blue light began to emanate from the door, as the magic held the Drudge back.

Scraping and slithering turned into tearing and pounding, the screams of the Drudge as it tried to get in setting my teeth on edge. So loud I could’ve sworn it was in the club with us already. My body felt far too tense, brain insisting I do _something_ in reaction, even if it was only to throw up.

A crash sounded behind us and we twisted to see Corvin hauling himself up from the wreckage of the side table he’d tripped over. We all rushed to follow him, our footsteps drowning out my heartbeat, if only for the few seconds it took to reach the other door.

Dracen’s hand, and I _knew_ it was Dracen’s hand even before I’d truly processed anything, grabbed me; still, I screamed at the sensation, body trying to jerk away.

He held on firmly though. “Come on.” The door that led to the school was almost blindingly bright, yet the longer I looked at it the more I realized there were _cracks_ beginning to form.

I let him pull me back towards the door, heard him do something approximating the knock for the library, then open the door. I stepped backwards, trusting him, and unwilling to look away from where the Drudge was trying to get in.

A few steps later I bumped into Dracen, frowning when I realized I could barely see anything, and wherever we were certainly didn’t _smell_ like the library. “Dracen?”

He bit back a sound. “The doors must be going haywire thanks to the Drudge.” A soft, shimmery light began to emanate from seemingly nothing above Dracen. “It shunted us to a storage closet.” Which wasn’t the _worst_ place for us to end up, though it certainly wasn’t as protected as the clubroom.

“Can we get back?” 

“Have to go the long way,” Dracen reasoned. “Stay here, I’ll go look for everyone else.” Before I could argue he was through the door, the knob of which glowed softly for a few seconds before the light faded.

When I went over to try it the door was locked. Part of me wanted to pound on the door and demand Dracen open it. Yet logic pointed out I didn’t know where I was in relation to the clubroom, or the Drudge. It might be able to hear me when no one else could. Not that I was certain I was safer _here_ than at Dracen’s side, but he clearly thought so. My mind decided then to point out I had the amulet...in the club room. I cursed.

Unable to stand around and do nothing, I pulled out my phone. Turning on the flashlight I began to look around for something I might be able to use as a lockpick.

I turned to start checking the shelves behind me, only to scream when I realized I was no longer alone in the closet.

The ghost-killer stood there, it’s mask revealing nothing to me, but the feathers on it’s shoulders were more puffed up than the last time I saw it. Not that I could know _what_ that meant.

It seemed to have no interest in me, walking past me and towards the door, walking _through_ it, the asshole.

“Hey,” I pounded on the door, hoping to catch it’s attention. “The least you could do is unlock this for me.” Was it rude to demand things of ghosts? At the moment I felt I was allowed to. Better to have space to run away if need be than trapped here.

That chittering sensation from before formed around the edges of my mind. A few seconds later the door unlocked with a soft click.

So the ghost-killer clearly wasn’t all _that_ bad. I stepped out of the closet just in time to see it stepping through the closed classroom door, it’s head turned to look back at me and the mask oddly tilted _up_ , making the red lips curl in a smile.

I had no idea how good an idea it actually was, but I still followed anyways. 

In the end I was glad I did, because while the ghost-killer had vanished, I found William. And the Drudge, making ready to attack.

“Get away!” Magic raced from me, slamming into the Drudge. Just like when it’d been in my bedroom, it only got pushed a few feet away, but that was more than enough for me to reach William, and start to pull him towards the clubroom. “Come on.”

The Drudge screamed, and I hated it just as much as the previous times, rushing towards us. I started to make a barrier, but before I could, the ghost-killer was there, standing between us.

The Drudge lashed out, but the ghost-killer batted it aside easily. 

Ghost-killer darted in towards the Drudge, and did _something_ , pushing it back even farther. Which would’ve been good, if it didn’t put the Drudge between us and the clubroom.

“You can help me drive it off, right William?” He was one of the most powerful Espers in the world, if his powers and my magic couldn’t do anything, then what hope did we have?

He didn’t reply, and deciding to risk it I turned around, tugging on his wrist to try and get his attention—my brain decided to helpfully point out we were practically holding hands, which wasn’t very helpful at all.

William didn’t seem to even notice my tug, his whole attention was on the fight behind me, his eyes wide with surprise. It couldn’t be from the Drudge, or so I believed, so the ghost-killer? It was the first time William’d seen it himself.

Another scream, this one somehow more angry, from the Drudge had me jumping. We needed to get out of here, and fast. I grabbed Williams hands with my own, pulling him as best I could, he stumbled but followed, his attention still on the fight.

I turned myself as well, I was leading us towards it, after all. I should be paying attention to what was going on myself.

The fight seemed to be a stalemate, neither the Drudge or the ghost-killer gaining any sort of advantage. The plus side was, they were so focused on each other that William and I had a chance to slip past them.

An even better stroke of luck happened, their fight moved towards the far side of the hall, giving us a clear shot. I kept a tight grip on William, dragging him along as I did my best to be unnoticable. Only a little farther, closer, closer…

Chittering tickled the edges of my mind again, and when I glanced at the fight it was to see the ghost-killer watching _William_. The Drudge pressed the advantage, vines and limbs rushing towards the ghost-killer. Who managed to duck at the last second, some unseen power sending the vines and limbs every which way.

Including towards us.

I drew up a barrier, but too slowly. The Drudge howling in triumph as a vine wrapped around William’s arm, trying to yank him towards it.

William cried out in pain and something in me snapped.

“No.” Golden light blinded me for a second, but when it faded away, the ghost-killer and the Drudge were fighting again, the vine that’d had a hold on William now cut off and limp on the ground next to us. 

Anger made it easier to send blasts of gold towards the Drudge, each one blazing bright enough that it screamed in pain. Good.

The Drudge began to back off, clearly trying to get away. The ghost-killer and I pressed the advantage, though some part of me was still aware enough to put a passive barrier around William as I raced after the fight.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the club door open as I passed it. “Nora, duck!” Ally’s voice managed to reach me.

I dropped to the floor, feeling a faint breeze as magic rushed over me.

“Come on,” Corvin’s voice sounded next to me as arms helped me up. “We shored up the wards, need to get in quick.”

Thankfully there were no accidents as Corvin helped me up, turning around I saw Ally and Dracen helping William. Marc standing in the clubroom door, looking like he was about to rush out and try and kill the Drudge himself.

Marc all but snatched William away from Dracen and Ally, neither of whom seemed all that bothered by that. In fact they both moved to help me, leaving Corvin to follow after Marc and William. I bit back a giggle as Marc _growled_ at Corvin, who was unimpressed. “I didn’t realize you knew how to deal with Miasma, Marc.” Corvin said tartly.

Which got Marc to back off.

“You alright, Nora?” Ally asked as I sat on the couch. Dracen took the spot next to me quickly, curling himself around me like he was trying to spoon me from the side. Not that I was going to protest.

“Mmmfine.” I found myself _yawning_ of all things. “Too much magic,” I said, in realization. It’d been a while since that’d happened. 

Ally nodded. “I’m gonna get Vilos.” She went to the far door and gave a knock I’d never heard before, before stepping through.

I curled more firmly into Dracen, as my gaze returned to William. Just in time to see Corvin step away. I wasn’t sure if I was jealous or not that his cleansing had clearly been faster and more painless than my own. Granted it made sense. 

Corvin stepped towards us, collapsing on the couch with a grateful groan. I glanced at him, frowning slightly when I saw dark veins creeping up his throat. “Are you alright?”

He waved a hand. “Fine, just more excitement than I expected on a Saturday night.” The veins began to fade away, so maybe they weren’t as bad as I feared.

“All the exciting stuff happens on Saturday,” Dracen pointed out reasonably.

The other door opened, and we all tensed in panic, until Ally and Vilos—who was far more casually dressed than I’d ever seen him before, and if I weren’t so tired from the attack I likely would’ve been more weirded out by that—stepped through.

Ally must’ve caught him up on what happened, because he bypassed us all for now, in favor of going to the doors. Corvin hauled himself up to follow, hissing in pain as he bumped his shin on the coffee table.

Since I clearly wasn’t needed for now, I just let myself be. Watching Marc fuss, which wasn’t as odd the second time around, over William.

It clearly wasn’t just William I needed to have a conversation with, then. Although William’s needed to come first, so I knew what he wanted. But if the best happened, then I was definitely going to have to sit Marc down, because if Ewan was fine with sharing _me_ , then I needed to be open to the idea of sharing _William_. If that was something William even wanted. 

“Happy thoughts?” Dracen asked me quietly.

“Determined ones,” I answered with another yawn.

-

Fifteen minutes—although it also felt like _years_ —later William and I were well and truly alone for the first time since we’d been put here.

Before this would’ve been when I tried to broach the subject of _us_ , but after everything that’d happened, I was content to let the silence be for now. Maybe in the morning, when we were more recovered.

To my surprise William took the spot next to me on the couch. He turned slightly, showing his right arm. “We match,” he rasped ruefully.

I rolled up my own left sleeve so our scarred arms were side by side. The patterns might have been different, but no one would think they both hadn’t been made by the same thing. “We do,” I said slowly, not exactly sure where this was going.

He stared at our arms for a long second. “I’m sorry,” he blurted. “I...I shouldn’t have frozen up like that. I didn’t mean to make things harder for everyone.”

“It’s fine,” I told him. “Not everyone’s good in a fight.” Not that I was _used_ to them, but I certainly had gotten a better grasp of them ever since I’d come back home. A fact that would’ve scared most people, and it likely didn’t speak well that I was getting used to fights during the ‘holidays,’ but it was the truth.

William shook his head. “It wasn’t that, I mean, I know how to defend myself, even without a Chorus. It’s just…” His fingers dug into his pants, knuckles turning white. “I know who the ghost killer is.”

“Who?” I blurted in surprise.

“My mom,” he said it so quietly I almost didn’t hear it.

I didn’t say anything, brain scrambling to make sense of it. William must have found a question _somewhere_ in that chaos however, because he continued. “The mask she’s wearing, that’s how I knew. It’s the same one my mom always wore after the fire. It’s from Noh, her grandfather was an actor before he came to America.”

Hesitantly, I reached out to take his hand. The feel of our scars pressing against each other strange as I gave his hand a brief squeeze. “Are you alright?”

“Why, Nora?” He sounded so broken. I resisted the urge to hug him however. “She...she tried to kill me, and never apologized for it. Now she’s...protecting me? I could feel that from her, that she was protecting me and loved me.” He blinked back tears. “If you love someone, why would you try to kill them?”

“Love isn’t always reasonable,” I answered. Risking it I scooted closer, until our hips pressed against each other. “After, after Ruelle,” I was pretty sure I was okay saying her name in the clubroom. “And I swapped places, Spencer _hated_ me. I’m...not sure he would’ve tried to kill me, but maybe if things had gotten worse he might’ve.” Perhaps not the _nicest_ thing to think about Spencer, but it was honest. “But I still loved _him_. And we were lucky, because after Samhain we got to _talk_ about it and mend bridges.”

I squeezed his hand again. “It’s okay to be hurt, and conflicted. You can still love your mom and not forgive her for what she did. I guess I can’t speak for her, but if she’s doing this to try and atone, you can accept that, but also know it might not be enough.” I had no idea if what I was saying made sense.

“It makes sense,” William’s voice sounded raspier than usual. When he turned to me it was with tears in his eyes and a wan smile. “Thank you.”

 _Now_ I let myself hug him. Burying my face in his shoulder and breathing deep of that strange and soothing scent of his. “What are friends for?”

-

SUNDAY April 28

Despite the attack last night, I felt strangely better in the morning. And after we’d dressed William and I agreed that we could likely go to Solis Court without any sort of problems arising.

I felt good to be outside again, even with the afternoon heat pressing down on us. Gratefully I threw myself into a chair, not even caring it burned a little even through my clothes. I texted Corvin as William sat across from me, likely ordering more food than either of us needed, but I didn’t care.

Ten minutes later the door that lead to The Murder opened, Corvin standing on the threshold waving, while Kaya was the one to bring our food out. Which was for the best.

She took a long hard look at the both of us as she put our food and drinks down. Eyes narrowing she grunted. Accepting the cash I gave her without comment, she turned and left.

I was used to it, so it hardly bothered me, but William was frowning slightly. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her like that before.”

“It’s probably because she’s Faerie, we can be weird like that.” I shrugged, not sure how better to explain it. I took a sip of my coffee, the pleasure of it making me relax more, a happy sound leaving me as I drank some more.

I caught William smiling fondly, and he looked away, blush covering his cheeks.

“Hey, William?” I asked as I began to dig out food. “This...probably isn’t the right time to say this, but I want you to know anyways. And that whatever you decide you want, I’ll abide by that. But…” I made myself look at him. “I like you, a lot.” I could feel my own blush stealing across my cheeks.

He blinked at me, bagel halfway to his mouth. “What...what about Ewan?”

“He knows,” I said. My blush deepened as I continued. “We talked about it, after I told him I kissed you. Um, he said if it makes me happy you and I could be together, _too_.” Maybe I wouldn’t spring the idea that Ewan would be open to figuring out a _them_ also, just yet.

...Except clearly William was reading my mind, because he turned red and ducked his head into his shoulders.

I shoved a muffin into my mouth to keep from saying anything else.

After a few long, tense, minutes, William finally spoke. “I...I like you too. Why I wanted you to stay away, so my old Chorus didn’t hurt you.”

Emotion overwhelmed me, making my chest feel tight even as the rest of me wanted to float away. I wanted to lean across the table and kiss him again, wanting to know what it would be like without guilt. But I perhaps had one more question to ask. “What about Marc?” To my surprise it came out _teasing_. “I think it’s pretty clear to me now he likes you too. Considering you’d be sharing me with Ewan, I don’t feel like I can reasonably say ‘no’ to you and Marc.” It might take some getting used to, but I could hope in the end it’d be worth it.

William turned even more red somehow. “Maybe,” he said in a rasping squeak. “I...found out the same day you kissed me, I, uh…” He squirmed. “He wasn’t guarding his thoughts, um…”

“Were they sex thoughts?” Perhaps I should’ve tried not to sound so delighted. Aloof Marc having sexy thoughts about William; so maybe I wouldn’t have as hard a time adjusting as I feared. Besides magic, it might’ve been the only good thing to come out of me being a Changeling, well, magic and Ewan.

“NO!” William covered his face with his hands. “No, he wanted to...bite my cheeks, it was... _very_ vivid.”

It took me a moment to think of _why_ Marc might want to do that. But when I realized it was likely because William’d likely been blushing, and even aloof Vampires who didn’t drink from people liked the idea of that much blood. I laughed, somehow relieved that Marc _did_ have it bad.

A groan left William. Reaching out I squeezed his arm. “I’ll accept whatever you want, okay, William?” I repeated.

He peered at me between his fingers, but did nod. “Okay.”

Smiling, I let him go and returned to breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [this is the mask William's mom is wearing, btw.](https://nohmask21.com/eu/deigan.html)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've been wondering "Kael, why did you tag this 'body horror' there's been like, nothing." Welp, bc it's all here. Ooop.

MONDAY April 29

I woke up feeling groggy, fumbling for my phone and groaning when I saw it was only a little after three in the morning. Closing my eyes firmly I snuggled deeper into the couch cushions and my blankets, intent on going back to sleep.

Eventually, or according to my phone five minutes later, I gave up. Sitting up I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The low light from the kitchen area only gave a little illumination, enough that I could see William wasn’t in his own makeshift bed either.

“William?” I yawned. When I got no reply I looked around, spotting a darker human-shaped shadow in the corner.

Frowning I stood and walked over to him. “William?” Reaching out I grabbed his shoulder, frown deepening when he gave no reaction. He turned when I moved him.

His eyes were black, some sort of golden-black liquid dripping from them like tears. William opened his mouth like he was finally going to speak, and kept opening it. Wider and wider as thick roots and vines began to pour out from his lips.

A sound of horror left me, and I tried to back away, only for the roots and vines to tangle around my feet, wrap around my arms, pulling me closer and closer…

“Nora!”

I woke with a start, gasping. Blinking I was relieved to see William, normal and worried, hovering over me. “Are you alright?”

Sitting upright I gave a shaky nod. “Nightmare,” I said as I did my best to calm my racing heart.

To my surprise William didn’t sit next to me, instead kneeling in front of me, taking my hands in his own. “After everything that’s happened, it’s not surprising.”

I gave a wan smile. “I’m better now.” I think I surprised the both of us when I brought his hands up to my face to kiss his palm. 

Except when I tried to pull away I couldn’t, his hand somehow _stuck_.

“But it’s going to get so much _worse_ ,” William’s raspy croon sent shivers down my spine.

My scream was muffled as I watched mushrooms grow from his head in some gruesome crown. I should have saved my scream though, because a few seconds later his skin began to slough off his face. Muscle, sinew, even his eyes soon melted away, leaving only a skull with it’s mushroom crown.

His lower jaw dropped into my lap, one by one the teeth from his skull followed, replaced by twisting twining vines that reached towards my face, they reached my eyes and…

Sharp pain filled me and I found myself struggling. “Nora!” Ewan’s voice reached me, but my body was too terrified to calm down.

He held tightly though, grunting when I kneed him in the thigh.

As my struggling died down I found myself clinging to him, body trembling. “Please tell me this isn’t another nightmare,” I begged.

Ewan frowned down at me for a few seconds, I tried to shy away as he reached for my face, but I could only go so far. I felt his fingers grab my upper lip and pinch tightly, and again. “That feel like a dream?”

I shook my head, before burying it in his neck. Breathing deep and relaxing at the smell of him. “That was horrible.”

His face pressed against the top of my head. “I’m sorry. It’s alright now though.”

Was it? I pulled away from Ewan, enough to look around the club room. “Where’s William?” I perhaps felt a little embarrassed at how worried I sounded.

“He was sitting in Solis Court when I came in that way about an hour ago,” Ewan answered calmly. 

Good, good, that was...good. I sagged back against him. “I want this to be over already,” it was whining, but I felt I was allowed to whine at least a little.

Ewan hummed softly, his fingers combing through my hair. “Three more days,” he reminded. “I’ll make you cake, when it’s over.”

My mouth watered at the thought. “Chocolate,” told him. “With that Irish frosting?”

“So demanding,” he teased. I let him tug me up, more than willing to kiss him. Not even caring I probably had gross morning breath. Even when we broke apart he kept peppering my face with light kisses, as if trying to distract me even more from my nightmare. “Did you get to talk to William?”

I felt my cheeks heat. “Yes,” I muttered. “He’s...interested. And, I told him I’d be fine with him and Marc too.” I gave Ewan a light shove. “You could’ve warned me about _that_.”

“Only figured it out the other day,” he answered easily. “Anyways, didn’t feel right to just share.”

Alright, he had a point about that. Which didn’t stop me from tugging lightly on his hair. “Still not fair,” I teased, snuggling closer. “I think that cake’s going to have to be even _more_ impressive to make up for that.”

His eyebrows raised. “Is that so? I think I’m gonna need some convincing…” His leer made me want to laugh more than anything.

I’d only managed a few giggles however before the door to the school opened up, Ally coming in. She grinned when she saw us. “Oh, good I’m not interrupting.”

“You _are_ ,” I told her grumpily.

“That’s what you get for sleeping in the club where anyone can stumble in on you,” she stuck her tongue out.

I flipped her off, which earned me a laugh.

She sat right on the coffee table. “I thought you’d like to know that the Agency’s been keeping a sharp eye on the Ancient since Saturday, and there’s been no movement at all from it. Maybe we got lucky and that other ghost killed the Drudge.”

While I was relieved about the Ancient, I found myself doubting William’s mom, which was still a strange thing to contemplate, had managed to kill the Drudge. “Good.” Maybe that meant everything would be over even sooner and my life could get back to normal. Well, as normal as it could be.

-

Again I was struck by the strangeness of being in school without being in class, though I did manage to distract myself with time in the library, reading up on Espers and Vampires in a way I hadn’t months ago during my first research binge.

Dracen and Ewan practically dragged me away from the books when lunch came around. Everyone was there again as I settled on the floor between Danny and Elliot, and it felt nice.

After a few bites of my sandwich however, I realized something. “Where’s William?” I felt a sting of guilt that I hadn’t noticed he wasn’t here when I’d first come in. I _should have._

The guilt lessened a little as I realized everyone else looked as surprised as I did, even Marc. “I thought he’d been with you in the library,” Ally answered slowly.

I shook my head. “Ewan said the last time he’d seen William was in Solis.”

“He wasn’t there when Danny and I were bringing the food,” Corvin supplied.

The dread I was beginning to feel was likely shared with all of us. Because if the last place William had been was Solis, how could the Drudge have gotten him? And with it likely still after him, why would he have left somewhere safe, without _telling_ anyone?

“I’ll go tell Vilos and Guess,” Spencer said.

“The rest of us should break into pairs and search the school,” Danny said.

“I’ll go with Marc,” I said quickly, which likely surprised everyone. Even Marc. In my mind it would be a good way for the two of us to clear the air, and maybe start to get along, if only for William’s sake. At least no one suggested I needed to stay in the clubroom in case the Drudge decided it still wanted me.

A few minutes later we were peering into the classrooms along the fourth floor. “Anything else you’d like to volunteer us for?” Marc’s voice was testy as he returned to the hall.

I crossed my arms and did my best not to glower. “Look, I know you like William too, and that you’re jealous of me.” He looked a little thunderstruck, and I did my best not to feel pleased I’d managed to blindside the Vampire that could read my mind. “But right now, William’s more important than our...rivalry,” it didn’t feel right to call it that, but what other word was there for it? “When we get him back,”—I wasn’t going to consider that it might be ‘if,’—“Then we can all talk about this and figure it out. Until then we need to _find him_.”

Marc stared at me for a few long moments, then let out a slow breath. “Fine. I doubt he’s here on this floor, I can’t smell his scent. At least nothing recent.”

“I don’t know where else in the school we could look.” I frowned, _was_ William still on school grounds? Granted if _we_ left them, we could get in trouble. Despite that, I was thinking we might have to. An image from my nightmares came tumbling back into my mind and I shuddered.

“What was that?” Marc sounded more curious than horrified, which I wasn’t sure was a _good_ thing.

“I was having nightmares about William this morning…” Like I was being pulled along, I found myself recalling the fight as well. Had it hurt when the Drudge had grabbed me? The memories were hazy, but...no, I didn’t think so.

I gave a start when Marc grabbed me. “Why did it hurt him, and not you?” Marc sounded displeased by the whole concept.

I pursed my lips. “If...if the Drudge wanted him and not me...maybe, maybe it got him.” But then why wait a few days? Why hadn’t the Ancient _done_ anything?

“What if the Ancient already had?” Marc asked, which was not the question I wanted to hear.

“If it _has_...then William won’t be anywhere around Pine Hollow.” Because this wasn’t where the Ancient had been.

I started again as Marc grabbed me again, my forearm this time to drag me towards the stairs. “The bell’s going to ring in a minute, we can use the crowds as cover to get out to my car. It’s only a twenty minute drive to Slaughter.”

I didn’t argue.

-

TUESDAY April 30

Behind him, Nora’s stomach growled again. Marc had to give her credit though, that she hadn’t suggested they stop looking; and even when she started to think of how hungry she was she did her best to squash the thought before it could get too far. On the other hand, he was in the same boat, considering they’d been tromping in the woods around Slaughter since yesterday afternoon.

Which was part of the reason Marc was trying to not criticize, the early morning light and his own hunger making him feel grouchy and tired.

Behind him he heard Nora stumble and curse softly. He turned just in time to see her righting herself, biting back a yawn. Without letting himself think too much about it he bridged the distance between them and scooped her up, easily moving her onto his back.

“Marc…” If Nora meant to sound surprised, another yawn ruined it.

“We’ll travel faster this way,” he said, perhaps a bit too sharply. It was also a little bit of a lie, but he knew neither of them wanted to stop. Not when it meant they might lose William. He made himself pick up the pace. “What...what did you mean yesterday by ‘figure it out?” Her whole little speech hadn’t been at all what he expected from her.

She didn’t say anything for a long while as he headed closer to the mines, her thoughts too jumbled for him to understand. Eventually though she let out a slow breath. “Just that...Whatever William might decide, we should both be fine with. And that...if that means he wants to be with both of us...” He felt her shift, likely from a shrug. “Then I, at least, will be fine with that.”

Unsure of _how_ to respond to that, Marc said nothing. Even trying to ignore her whirling thoughts, which seemed to be a tempestuous mix of memory, nightmare, and general worry over William.

There was a part of him that wanted to revolt at the idea of ‘sharing,’ but the more he examined it, the more he realized it wasn’t truly a thought, but his instincts. He’d had two years to detangle his genuine feelings from the urge to _have_ , but Marc knew that didn’t mean his instincts were wholly divorced from his feelings for William. This…’jealousy’ being proof enough. But the idea of William being _happy_ , well, Marc was willing to work through his instincts for that. Anyways, being with William most of the time, was better than not being with him at all.

“Marc…” Nora’s thoughts turned embarrassed and he could tell she was trying to keep them to herself. “This might be a silly idea, but, what if we tried to call to William, mentally? Um, do you know how far he can read minds?”

“I don’t know, further than I can, probably.” It’d been William who taught Marc to shield himself, well enough Marc’s parents now complained about him being ‘closed off.’ “It’s, not the worst idea.” It wasn’t as if they could do any worse than just wandering around.

“Then, I guess, sorry for yelling in your ear?” Nora herself didn’t sound like she wanted to laugh at her own ‘joke.’

He grunted in response. All his attention split between not crashing them into anything, and ‘calling out.’ When Nora joined in, it did sound like she was shouting at him, He did his best to ignore it, however impossible it seemed right at that very moment.

After ten or so minutes however he found he could tune her out fairly easily, which was something of a surprise. Perhaps because they were focused on the same thing? Whatever the reason might be he wasn’t going to question it.

Right about when Marc started to feel rather foolish over mentally yelling, both he and Nora cried out, nearly dropping her as he stumbled. For a second he saw double, not just the woods around them, but the inside of a crumbling building as well. The image, along with the pain that’d accompanied it, faded.

“The bunkhouse,” Nora sounded excited.

“What?”

“That had to be William, right? I think he was showing us where he was. The old mine bunkhouse. Um, I don’t know where we are, but if you get us to the mines, I think I should be able to find it.”

Marc wasn’t going to question it, because it felt like they were finally making progress and he wanted it to be true. As he ran he found himself asking. “How’d you know?”

Nora’s mental confusion was as good as a frown. “How do you not? It felt like half the stories we kids told each other at school were creepy ‘ghost stories’ about that place, mainly about kids who got dared to spend the night there, only to disappear.” She snorted. “I would think being rich wouldn’t change the scary stories your classmates would’ve shared.”

“Up until two years ago, I’d never left my house,” he did his best to sound as indifferent about that fact as he could. It wasn’t the sore subject it used to be, but it _was_ a fact he didn’t exactly like to share about himself.

“Oh.” Even Nora’s thoughts fell a little quieter at that.

Thankfully they reached the entrance to the mines minutes later. “Left,” Nora said confidently. “Actually, hold on…” He felt her squirm.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying not to be that girl in the horror movie, and letting everyone know where we think William is. Vilos is probably going to yell at us anyways, but he might yell at us a little less.” She had a point. “Okay, texts were actually sent.”

Now they just needed to get to William. “Where next?”

“Oh, uh,” he could ‘hear’ her thoughts trying to focus and he bit his lip to keep from saying anything. “There should be an old snag tree ahead, go right?” He was also not going to say anything about how that was a question.

The snag was easy to spot, and he made the turn, hoping she remembered correctly. A minute or so later they both breathed sighs of relief to see the ruins of a building ahead. Without her asking, or even thinking it, Marc set Nora down. The two of them carefully heading in.

He hoped William was alright, this certainly didn’t look like the safest of places.

“William?” Nora had the sense to call out quietly.

Inside it was as ramshackle as the outside had looked, but at least there was enough light to see by. Making it easy to spot William, just standing there in the middle of a relatively empty space, as if waiting for them.

“William!” Nora started to rush to him, but Marc found himself grabbing her and hauling her back.

“Too convenient.” Not that his own instincts weren’t insisting he run to William too; at least the parts not instantly suspicious. Something about, well, everything, setting his teeth on edge. “William, are you alright?”

William slowly began to turn towards them, and Marc realized there was something weird about his hair. It was sticking up in ways it shouldn’t and, when the light fell more fully on it, in colors that William’s hair certainly wasn’t.

“Oh, Dubh fuck it.” Marc would’ve asked for an explanation for her horror, except her mind did it for her: a nightmare of William’s head crowned in mushrooms. These ones might not’ve glowed like those, but now that he knew what they were, Marc wasn’t going to mistake them for anything other than mushrooms. “William, please, you still have to be in there.”

William finished turning around, revealing empty black eyes. 

Marc bit back his own curses. “William…” Normally he’d hate sounding so choked, but maybe it was time he stopped trying to hide how he felt. “Say something, please.” He found himself sending out every memory of his hesitant steps towards affection. Marc wasn’t going to run again.

Carefully, Marc let them both approach William, ready to haul himself and Nora back if the Ancient decided to attack. If that did happen, he hoped everyone else was only a little ways away, because otherwise this was a losing fight.

Ancient-William shuddered, the black in his eyes melting away, though the mushroom didn’t disappear. “Marc, Nora…” He backed away. “You, you should both go. I can’t...”

“You _can_ ,” Nora argued. “Damnit, William, we’re not leaving without you?” Nora turned slightly, as if looking to Marc for support.

“She’s right,” Marc said. “We came all this way, and you expect us _not_ to try and rescue you?”

William’s broken laugh slipped into Marc’s heart like shards of glass. “It’s too…” His eyes flickered between fully black and dark brown. “Too strong, _run!_ ” A burst of power sent Marc and Nora both sliding back.

Marc recovered first, forgetting his own caution he rushed towards William. He cupped William’s face with his hands, pushing his face close enough that all he could smell was William: lavender, myrrh, and a musty undercurrent of mushrooms. “Please, fight it.” William’s eyes were brown again, and Marc met them, unafraid. “We both love you. _I_ love you.”

He could feel William start beneath him, the barest trickle of surprise filtering from his shuttered mind. Only for his brown eyes to be consumed by black again, the mushrooms becoming a moldering _rot_ in his nose. “I think not,” the Ancient managed to deepen William’s raspy voice.

He grabbed Marc by the throat and _tossed_ him. Only for him to crash into a pile of rotting boards. A grunt of pain escaped him as he did his best to roll clear.

“Marc!” Nora’s concern surprised him. “Are you alright?”

All he could do was groan in response, his body too lit up with pain. He could probably handle it better than her, but that didn’t mean it didn’t _hurt_.

He was still aware enough to watch the Ancient, who seemed to be staring at William’s hands in something like surprise. Head tilting almost too far. “Hmmm, stubborn mortal.” 

Before Marc could even wonder what that meant, a crash came from behind Nora. Guess storming in. “Hey asshole!” She took up a guard position in front of Nora. “Get Marc,” Guess muttered at her. “And get out. I’ll deal with William.”

Marc accepted Nora’s help up. A strange feeling of cold, yet sad, determination filling him. It took him a moment to realize that the feeling wasn’t coming from him, or Nora, but Guess. 

Nora helped him hobble along. Despite his powers beginning to fail somewhat, he made himself push as far into Guess’ mind as he could.

“NO!” He tore himself away from Nora and rushed at Guess. He wasn’t going to let her kill William. “Nora, get William away.” They could still save him, Marc _had_ to believe it.

-

All I could do was stand there for a moment, too shocked to do more than watch Guess and Marc struggle. I didn’t understand what was happening, at least between them, but I at least knew I could still try to help William.

My first step was hesitant, but I bridged the rest of the distance in a rush, almost crashing into William. Something jabbed into my side and I frowned. Reaching into my jacket pocket I realized it was William’s amulet, I didn’t know _how_ it’d gotten into my jacket, but I wasn’t going to question it; not when I might help.

“William, can you hear me?” I slowly pulled out the amulet.

William, or the Ancient inside him, didn’t respond, his focus on Marc and Guess still grappling. Giving me the perfect opportunity.

I looped the gold chain over his head in the first try, and I found myself praying to any other, hopefully nicer, deity that might be lurking that this worked.

If they were listening, it was only with half an ear. William’s eyes cleared again, dark brown eyes half afraid but determined, his mushroom crown didn’t fall away however. Meaning the Ancient was still in there somewhere.

“Thank you.” William surprised me by taking my hands, bringing each one to his mouth to kiss my palms. Behind us I could hear the struggle dying down, thankfully. My attention quickly moved to behind William though, when the air began to _ripple_.

William didn’t seem to notice, or perhaps it was his doing. He let go of my hands and held his own out. “Marc?”

It didn’t surprise me that Marc easily abandoned Guess to rush to William. Not seeming to know what to do when William repeated the same gesture with him. Behind William the air began to _part_ , revealing a darkness so complete it almost hurt to look at.

“William?” I tried to step forward, but found myself being held back.

“What are you doing?” Marc demanded.

A wan smile crossed William’s face. “What I have to do, it’s the only way.” He took a step back towards the darkness.

Icy dread crept through my body. “No!” Marc and I both cried out, struggling against William’s own powers. Even throwing out a barrier spell didn’t stop William from taking another step backwards.

“I wish...I wish things could’ve been different. I think...you both would have made me happier then I could’ve thought possible.” Another step, the darkness seemed to slither out and begin to grasp at him, trying to get him to make those final steps.

Two steps away, and William froze, eyes going dark again. The Ancient reached up, the amulet smoking between it’s fingers as it yanked. With the chain broken it tossed aside the amulet. “I had forgotten how much you mortals fight, even against the inevitable.”

He took a step away from the darkness, the tendrils retreating, as if afraid.

Before he could take another step however, the ghost killer, William’s mom, was there in front of him.

There was no screech, no skittering hint of a voice at the edges of my mind this time. Only her.

She raised a clawed hand and thrust it into William, I screamed as if she’d done it to me.

William’s eyes cleared again, widening as he saw his mother standing before him.

Yanking her hand out, William’s mom pulled out a writhing mass of...something. Yet even as she pulled, I could see tendrils of it still connected to William. Only for some of those tendrils to pull away from him to latch onto her. The mass growing bigger, the tendrils growing thicker.

None of which seemed to phase her, she yanked them around, so that she now stood between William and the rift of darkness. Taking those last few steps that he had not.

“No!” He tried to reach out for her, but before he could the air rippled again, the darkness getting eaten up by reality.

For a second I could’ve sworn there were still thick tendrils connected to William, but when I started to blink back tears, they vanished. The mushroom crown finally falling away.

Marc got in a step ahead of me, but he still left me space to hug William tightly. I kissed William’s cheek, tasting the sorrowful salt of his own tears. “Don’t do that ever again, please,” I begged softly between kisses. “You’re too important.”

“Never letting you out of my damn sight,” Marc rumbled, laying his own kisses on William’s temple and hair.

Weak laughter left William. “I’ll do my best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, because I'm that sort of person, there was definitely a [specific mushroom in mind...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trametes_versicolor)


	10. Epilogue

THURSDAY May 2

William leaned his forehead against the cool glass of one of the school windows, even with the sun beating down on it it was still cool against his skin and it felt nice. He bit back a yawn trying not to fall asleep, he was just so damn _exhausted_.

Above him Sy—or at least that’s what William was calling it, since the spirit hadn’t said a word yet—fluttered excitedly. Blinking, William turned his own head a little to see Nora approaching. Her thoughts were a little worried, even as she smiled brightly at him. “Hey, managed to get away from Vilos and Guess finally?”

She didn’t fight when he tugged her into a hug, and it felt so _good_ to be able to do that, Sy not minding William being affectionate. “Yeah, pretty sure when I get home I’m gonna sleep for a year though.”

“I feel that,” she agreed. “Maybe we could do it together,” she waggled her eyebrows in exaggeration.

He blushed, even as he laughed.

“Leave him be,” Marc’s voice groused behind William.

Not letting go of Nora, William craned his torso around, beaming at Marc. “I don’t mind,” William told him.

Marc snorted as he stepped closer. Nora’s thoughts seemed to turn into a sort of happy mush, and William was certain what few thoughts of his own were getting out were the same. He let himself elbow Marc gently. “You gonna add to the mush?”

A scowl crossed Marc’s face even as he blushed. Nora laughed softly, not that William really noticed. Marc lowering his mental walls enough that William could tell Marc was indeed feeling the happy mush. “Don’t think this is going to be a habit,” Marc said. William let Marc pull him a little bit from Nora, warm arms circling his waist as Marc’s chin settled on William’s head.

“It is,” William countered cheerily. His expression turned a little more solemn a few seconds later though. “Thank you, again, for everything. For, being yourselves, for fighting for me.” William still doesn’t quite know what to do with that fact, only that he doesn’t want to let them go. “And I like this, all of it.”

“Good,” Nora replied firmly. “We’re probably never going to stop fighting for you, because sometimes you forget you’re important too.” He found himself loving how fierce she looked, even as she nestled against his front, her small frame fitting against him easily.

“I’m pretty sure after the Ancient, ghosts won’t be that hard to fight off,” Marc said. Which almost sounded like a _joke_.

William snorted. “No need for that. It’s only Sy at the moment, but it doesn’t mind any of this. And I know now I’m more than strong enough to reject any ghost or spirit that says otherwise.” He decided not to mention the Ancient, how he was sure there was a sliver of it still left in him. It wasn’t enough to cause a problem anyways.

“Nora!” Ewan called out from down the hall. “You don’t get your butt over here I’m not gonna bake you that cake.”

Nora rolled her eyes even as she smiled. She started to rise up on her tiptoes, and it seemed such an easy thing to lift her with his own powers, Sy’s wispy fingers helping, to make the kiss even easier.

It was a much better kiss than their first one, and William could feel himself beaming as she pulled away.

“That was fun.” Her smile was cheeky as he and Sy set her down.

William could feel a blush steal across his cheeks as he let her go. Watching her as she jogged down the hall to join Ewan. Who scooped her up, making her shriek playfully, before carrying her outside.

As William turned his full attention to Marc, his eyes caught on a poster and widened. He whirled around so fast he almost jerked himself out of Marc’s hug. “Prom’s in two week!” The realization filled him with a sort of excitement, because he could _go to that_ if he wanted to now. He could do normal, teenaged, ridiculous shit.

Marc bent his head a little closer to William's. “Yes,” he agreed. “Would you like me to ask you?” Somehow Marc’s voice became smoother, and William could feel himself going a little wide-eyed as he felt fingers brush his jaw.

“Um, yes?” William didn’t know how he managed raspy squeaks, but there it was. Sy ruffled both their hair, as if teasing them.

“William Lee,” Marc bent even closer, his breath ghosting—William bit his lip to keep from giggling—across William’s cheeks. “Will you go to prom with me?”

A deeper blush settled on William’s cheeks, but he still found himself smiling. “Yes, Marc Lowe, I will go to prom with you.”

Instead of kissing him, Marc scrapped his teeth against William’s blush. An action that, in practice, was far sexier than William’d thought it would be from Marc’s fantasies of it. “Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next part will indeed be Prom. Though when I'll be finished with it/posting it is anyone's guess. Hopefully in the next few months.
> 
> Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this!


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